


Kara2

by DearDead



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2019-08-29 12:10:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 50,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16743754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearDead/pseuds/DearDead
Summary: The Red Daughter seeks Alex out, trying to ask for help. Unfortunately, the DEO isn't too keen on letting an unknown and potentially dangerous Kryptonian roam free.Kara and Alex try to meet with her to see what she wants, but the DEO gets in the way.So this is a little gift for Rajlez that actually had the idea for this fic !So thank mate Rajlez for the idea :)





	1. Seeking

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rajlez](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rajlez/gifts).



> Happy birthday mate ! I really hope you'll enjoy even though it's not finished yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Russian!Kara finds Alex and breaks in into her apartment to talk to her, asking for help
> 
> Their meeting is cut short and when Alex tells Kara what happened, they try to find her before the DEO does
> 
> Sorry about my sucky summarizing skills, I still hope you'll like it.

It had been a long day and all Alex wanted to do was go to bed. Sitting on her couch seemed to dissuade her though, the comfy cushions perfectly shaped around her body now, and sleeping here looked more and more like the best solution as time passed.

She was nursing a warm cup of hot chocolate between her hands, sleepily using her spoon to keep the chocolate well mixed with the milk, staring at nothing as she felt her eyelids slowly close. She'd never admit to anybody that warm milk helped her fall asleep more easily, except that Kara already knew, and would always say that a cold beer at the end of the day was all she needed.  _Right._  
Her apartment was warm, central heating and the fireplace being pushed at the maximum as the outside air was already cold at this time of year, and she could feel sleep coming.

She flinched as she suddenly felt the harsh cold air from a gush of wind and snapped her head toward the direction of the offensive disturbance, frowning because the annoyance she felt definitely woke her up.

She didn't even think about burglars, her mind going straight to Kara. She felt a lazy smile tugging at her lips as she saw the blond haired woman standing at her now opened French window, coming at night as she often did when she wanted to snuggle with Alex.

When she noticed Kara standing still, not moving from the window and letting the cold air in, her frown came back because Kara usually just sped next to Alex before throwing a soft blanket over them and letting her head lay on Alex's shoulder. 

"Kara ?" she asked hesitantly, as if sensing something wasn't right, straightening and putting her mug on the coffee table in front of her without looking away from Kara for a second.

Her voice seemed to make the blonde come out of her stupor as she slowly came in, sliding the window closed behind her. The quiet was what unnerved Alex the most because she knew how Kara felt about silence after her years spent in the Phantom Zone. Let's just say Alex sometimes forgot what silence was when she spent her time with Kara, rambling about everything or putting on the music or TV as background noise.  
It didn't bother her because she knew Kara was more comfortable that way.

As her sister took a step forwards, Alex felt dread rushing through her like a bucket of iced water. Her eyes. Kara's eyes weren't twinkling like when she was happy, or watery like when she was sad. They weren't empty like when she failed to save people or had that faraway look she had when she thought about Krypton.

They were closed off, cautious, as if waiting for Alex's reaction. But her reaction to what ?

She was suddenly on her feet, ready for something, for anything. "Kara ?" she tried again, fear dripping from her strong yet uncertain voice.

"Alexandra."

In less than a second, Alex had every muscle taut and could swear even her hair stilled when she heard Kara's voice. Because it wasn't Kara's. Kara's was soft and somehow melodic and soothing.  
This voice had a strong accent, was harsh and almost cutting. Foreign.

Eyeing the couch, Alex quickly mentally calculated how much time she'd need to reach for her gun and how much time she thought she had if this fake Kara also had her powers. Willing to take that risk, she plunged and felt the cold handle under one of the cushion and drew her gun, pointing it directly at the intruder's chest.

The intruder who hasn't moved just watched her intently, as if she was trying to figure her out. She had her arms limp at her side, head slightly tilted on the side, which irritated Alex to no end because that was something so _Kara._

The blonde-haired woman had her hair as long as Kara had and was wearing a grey jumpsuit, tight against the visible muscles. She seemed comfortable enough to be relaxed but was still obviously alert, her eyes never leaving Alex.

Alex felt her extended arms holding the gun tremble. Not out of fear, but because she was so tense her muscles were protesting against the seemingly unnecessary pressure. 

"Who are you ?" she demanded, voice tight and curt.

The stranger took a moment to stare at Alex some more, trying to decipher the woman in front of her, before answering. "Kara."

Alex clenched her jaw when hearing Kara’s name out of the stranger’s mouth. The intonation, the voice, everything was all wrong.

“Stop lying,” she gritted out, fury almost taking over but reining it in, the scientist in her reminding her that she didn’t have all the facts. The sister inside her told her to shoot and ask questions later though.

The woman’s face was a blank mask, Alex failing to find even one expression to study, and it stayed that way as she replied, “I told you. Kara.”

The accent was so obvious, the rolled “r” so accentuated it was impossible this woman had just learned the language.

“Excuse me for doubting you, but my sister doesn’t have a Russian accent,” she bit back, arms still outstretched in front of her, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice.

Alex could see the intruder getting confused, and for a moment she wondered why, until she answered the unasked question. “Sister ?” she asked, like she was testing the word on her tongue, saying it for the first time.

It was Alex's turn to look confused. “How do you know me ?” She didn’t mean to, but her voice went softer.

Though her face was still blank, Alex could read recognition in her eyes. “Alexandra,” she repeated, like the first word she ever said to Alex. “Memory. You're always there,” she confidently said, pointing at Alex.

Her mind was a whirlwind of theories, fears and questions, and she felt her heart beat painfully inside her chest, hearing it pounding in her ears.  
She knew she was breathing heavily, hearing it herself even though she had trouble hearing everything else, but couldn’t calm down.

She wanted to close her eyes shut in an effort to keep the panic from rising but she didn't want to risk being blind in front of this stranger. She  _was_ in a moment of weakness, but she wouldn’t make it obvious. Though, if she had the same powers Kara did, it wouldn’t matter. If she tried to appear calm, this doppelganger could  _hear_ the weakness and creeping panic that was taking hold of Alex’s heart.

She forced herself to breathe through her nose, a method she taught Kara when she had panic attacks when she first got to Earth. She still had them, but it was rarer now, Alex always by her side.

After a moment of slowly breathing and getting her heart to calm the hell down, Alex kept asking questions. “Memories ? Who’s, yours ?”

Slowly nodding, the blonde’s eyes pierced through Alex’s. “Mine. And Kara.”

Alex’s eyebrows furrowed. Nothing made sense. “Yours  _and_ Kara’s ?” she tried to confirm. At not-Kara’s nod, Alex got more confused. “If you’re claiming to be Kara, why do you say it’s yours and hers ?”

This question seemed to get a reaction out of the stranger, even if it was a light one. She squinted a little, as if trying to find the words or the explanation.

“I am her. Have her memories. But we are not the same,” she slowly explained, the words carefully chosen.

She got bit of informations but the stranger seemed unwilling to explain the situation without questions asked, and Alex was getting frustrated.

“Can’t you be clearer ? I’m tired, and tired of your riddles,” she groaned, patience nearing the end.

“No riddles,” not-Kara denied with a shake of her head, looking as serious as when she first entered the house. “I am Kara, I know you. You two are close,” she stated, and Alex noticed she was trying to gauge her reaction as she said the last part.

“You don’t seem to know me that well for someone who has her memories,” Alex taunted, her turn in trying to gauge her reaction.

But she only watched her, focused. “You’re right,” she agreed, surprising Alex. “I have facts, not feelings.”

It took a beat for her words to fully make sense to Alex, and her eyebrows loosened to slowly make their way up. “You don’t feel ?”

“Yes.” Alex wasn’t sure if she agreed with her or said that she did have feeling, and sensing Alex’s confusion Kara clarified. “I feel. But not from memories.”

Wheels turning inside her head, Alex began to understand.

This Kara had real Kara’s memories, like how she knew Alex, but didn’t feel what Kara felt in those memories. She knew, but didn’t feel.

Alex pondered for a moment if calling Kara was the best move, but she wanted to get a feel of the situation before doing so. Her sister had enough on her plate as it was and she wanted to let her get some sleep instead of waking her up to tell her about what happened as she didn’t really know  _what_  happened.

Nodding, Alex relaxed minutely without realizing it.

“Why are you here ?” she asked.

“You two close. Military used me, it was annoying and tiring,” she answered like it was supposed to explain everything to Alex.

“Military ?” she mumbled to herself, wondering what it had to do with anything.

“Yes,” her voice startling Alex a little as she didn’t think she’d hear her. It answered the powers question at least. “Military used me to dig and punch. I do not like it, so I ran when possible,” she explained, making her story actually understandable for Alex.

“I have so many questions,” Alex breathed out, feeling overwhelmed. She felt her gaze getting unfocused and she internally chastised herself for staying up so late the night before, making her current movements and reflexes slow and sluggish.

Alex rubbed her forehead with her left hand, her right one still holding the gun, and breathed out a long sigh. Not-Kara seemed to frown in response as she tilted her head, like Kara did when she heard something far away.

“You are tired,” she stated in her thick accent. “You are not in good mind place to help. I will leave until you are right again,” she announced, words awkward but voicing out her intention clearly.

It took Alex a moment for her brain to register her words, and when it did, she let her gun lower a little. “Wha—“

The gush of wind that cut her off meant she was too late, leaving her squinting at the now empty living room in an attempt to see through the wind and fight her lowering eyelids.

“What the actual hell,” she muttered to herself, putting the security on her gun.

She suddenly felt drained, the sleep from earlier coming back full force plus the added weight of this new threat, or at least unknown person, and she felt like she could collapse from the burden of it all.

She was just about to hide her gun back under the cushions of the couch when she heard a _swoosh,_ clear sign of a flying Kryptonian making her way into her apartment.

On reflexes alone, she raised her armed hand while simultaneously removing the security and shot at the unknown blonde who most likely came back to finally kill her. The blonde barely had the time to start saying "Al—" before actually _yelping_ when she felt the bullet bounce from her chest.  
She came to a halt right then, taken by surprise by the sudden attack, and gaped at Alex with wide eyes.

There was a beat of silence where all they could hear was Alex's heavy breathing, chest widely heaving, before Alex seemed to actually realize what she had just done.

"Kara ?" she breathlessly said in surprise, her arm holding the gun immediately dropping and putting the security back on. She felt all of her body relax now that Kara was here, now that she was home.

After a second, Kara seemed to come out of her shock and blinked in confusion. "Alex, did you just _shoot_ me ?"

Relieved to hear Kara's real voice, Alex sighed and dropped heavily back on the couch, half facing her before putting her forehead on her hand in sleepiness.  
Just the second after she felt a warm pressure on her knee and she looked up to see Kara kneeling before her, hand on her knee, looking at her with worry evident in her eyes.

"What is it ?" she whispered. "Are you okay ?"

Alex stared at her for a moment, drinking in her soft features, happy to see the warm and open expression on her face after having talked to a harsher and colder version of her.  
She smiled tiredly but genuinely while putting her hand on Kara's and squeezing a little.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Just on edge."

It wasn't exactly a lie. It _was_ by omission but she didn't feel like talking about it now because she looked like sleep was just about to knock her out.

“You look like you’re about to pass out,” Kara gently commented while slowly getting to her feet and offering a hand to Alex who took it with a grateful smile.

She was still worried. Alex firing her arm without knowing who was coming was a first and an alarming sign of tiredness. Still, something must have triggered her other than extreme fatigue.

Alex hummed in agreement, unable to hide the exhaustion she presently felt, and closed her eyes as she put her forehead against Kara’s shoulder, the latter softly but steadily holding her by the waist.

“I stayed up late last night. And the night before that,” she sleepily said, words almost slurring as sleep was beginning to overcome her.

She felt Kara tightening her hold before moving a hand up to her nape, rubbing soothing gestures with her thumb in hope of relaxing her.  
Kara knew her sister well, and even half-asleep and relaxed in her presence, she still felt her tense muscles and a weariness that wasn’t caused by the lack of sleep.  
She knew her sister well and knew she was hiding something from her.

“You don’t have to tell me what you’re hiding,” Kara softly said, feeling Alex freeze in her arms. “But I’m here if you want to.”

Alex hid her face in Kara’s neck, trying to hide her alarmed expression from her, and squeezed her eyes shut. “Thanks,” she mumbled into Kara neck, making her shiver automatically and stop momentarily rubbing Alex’s nape.

“Ye-Yeah, you’re welcome,” she lightly stammered before clearing her throat and resuming her soothing gesture. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Alex just hummed again, too tired to give a more eloquent response, and circled her arms around Kara’s neck making her chuckle as she understood what Alex wordlessly asked.  
Sliding her arms back around Alex’s waist, Kara picked her up just enough so she could take her to her room, flying just an inch above the floor as to not disturb the barely-awake sister she held securely in her arms.

Kara gently laid Alex on her bed, only taking off her shoes as she knew she’d take off the rest of her clothes herself in her sleep, put a slightly lingering kiss on her forehead before whispering a loving _sleep tight_ and straightening up to leave.

As she turned around, Alex’s hand shot up and grabbed her wrist, the strength in the hold surprising Kara as she thought Alex was already fully asleep.

She quickly crouched next to the bed, her head near Alex’s. “What is it ?” she asked while softly stroking Alex’s face to push the hair that fell before her eyes away.

“Stay,” Alex all but whined, on the verge of actually pouting. That was supposed to be Kara’s thing !

Kara frowned because when Alex was this tired, she usually preferred to be left alone as to not throw her grumpiness at Kara’s face. Also, she wanted a peaceful night’s sleep and Kara and her Kryptonian’s warmth just weren’t welcomed during those nights.

Alex would always choose to sleep with Kara if she could but her sister was always a restless sleeper, turning and tossing all night while radiating heat that could cook eggs at Alex.

But tonight was different. Tonight, Alex wanted the reassurance that Kara was there and that she was her usual sunny, smile-beaming and loving self. She knew if Kara didn’t stay she’d dream about the Russian woman, the cold stare that recognized Alex but didn’t hold any love for her. Those eyes would haunt her and she’d rather sweat all night and be able to open her eyes to see Kara sleeping next to her with her usual goofy and sleepy smile, rather than sleep well and be scared all night long.

“Of course,” Kara quickly agreed, using super-speed to change into pajamas so she wouldn’t sleep with her suit and slid next to Alex.

As soon as Alex felt the bed dipping next to her, indicating Kara getting settled, she reached out and put her arm around Kara’s waist and hedged closer so she could put her head on her sister’s chest.

Kara immediately slid her left arm around Alex’s shoulders and held tight, knowing if Alex was clinging to her then it must mean she needed the contact. And if she’d see her sweat during the night, she’d open a window to help with the heat.

 

 

* * *

 

 

During her time as Supergirl, Kara quickly learned all kind of things.

She learned how to fight, Alex teaching her every fighting style she knew and learning as she went on the field.

She learned how to protect people while being under attack, always prioritizing getting them to safety _then_ going after the bad guy of the week.

She learned what it felt to lose someone you didn’t know. She knew loss of close family and acquaintances, but actually people she swore to protect was another helplessness she didn’t think she could feel. She thought she felt all the feelings of loss possible after Krypton but she was wrong.

And one thing she _didn’t_ learn but still acquired was reflexes and a sixth sense. It really came handy during a fight against several opponents, avoiding attacks from behind while punching the one in front of her all the while keeping an eye on the guy on her left.  
She was attentive, sure, but now she felt things she wouldn’t have before being Supergirl.

And that was how she felt like she was being watched while asleep, her eyes flying open at the feeling and immediately turning her head towards Alex to make sure she was safe. The room was dark so she guessed it was still the middle of the night, the blinds filtering out some on the sun rays even when closed.

She didn’t expect to be stared at by _Alex_ so her eyes widened and she let a little gasp out at the view. She didn’t look past her sister, missing the dark figure standing on the building across from Alex’s.

Alex wasn’t just watching her while not being able to sleep, she was staring and had that worried look on her face, her eyebrows doing that thing up that Kara just couldn’t recreate (even after spending hours in front of the mirror trying).

“Alex,” she gasped lowly, feeling her heart thumping loudly in her chest. She put her hand over her heart to try and calm down before letting out a breath. “You scared me,” she chuckled in a whisper, worry still heavy in her mind.

“Sorry,” Alex whispered back, her eyes never leaving Kara’s face. She didn’t feel sad or worried, she was just blankly staring at her face as if she was trying to remember every little detail, every micro expression.

Kara rolled to her side, making the mattress bounce a little, and took Alex’s hand that was resting between their faces in hers. “Talk to me,” she pleaded gently, looking at Alex, trying to find a clue.

Emotion seemed to flow back on Alex’s face and her eyebrows scrunched up and her mouth tipped down, jaw clenching and hand intertwining with Kara’s.

“She looked just like you,” she breathed out, anxiety seeming to cause Alex to choke on the last word.

Kara frowned in confusion before holding Alex’s hand a little tighter, just the way she liked when she was a little out of sorts. “Who ?”

Gulping audibly, Alex pursed her lips before deciding to answer. “Kara.”

“Yes ?”

“She looked exactly like you,” Alex repeated.

Kara quietly sighed because she wasn’t getting anywhere. “You said that already. But who ?”

Alex straightened up to sit, back against the wooden headboard. “Kara Zor-El.”

Huffing while also seating, Kara turned a little so she could face Alex. “Why do you keep saying my name ?” She was trying not to get annoyed but clearly Alex wasn’t thinking clearly and Kara also had some rough nights Supergirl-ing and she was exhausted.

Alex groaned and dropped her head in her hands in frustration. It was so complicated to explain, and she was just so tired.

“Before you came,” she slowly started to explain, “someone was there.”

Kara stilled. “Someone… You mean like a- like a _date_?” she tried to ask without desperation.

Alex let out a throaty laugh, short but loud. “No !” she chuckled, but quickly sobered up. “No, like someone came through the window,” she clarified.

She felt relieved for about two seconds before tensing again, this time ready to leave at a moment’s notice to find the person who broke in.

“Who was it ?” she asked through gritted teeth, barely keeping her eyes from glowing in anger.

“Well…” Alex frowned, trying to find a way to explain. If that had been weird for her, then how would Kara take it ? “It was a woman who came in my apartment, through the window.” She paused to look up to Kara. “I’m on the last floor. She flew here.”

“Wha- did she hurt you ?” she asked frantically, already x-raying Alex and gripping her shoulders to turn her in every direction, not wanting to miss a spot if that woman actually laid hands on her.

Alex grunted at being manhandled, pushing Kara’s face away to try to make her stop. “Stop, I’m fine !”

Granting Alex’s wishes, she stopped moving her but didn’t let go. “Are you sure ? What happened ? What did she want ?” She felt panic rising but was trying to keep it in check just long enough for Alex to explain.

Alex slid down the hand she still had on Kara’s face down to her neck, knowing the contact would ground her. “She just came in and said she knew me,” Alex began recounting. “At first I thought it was you, you’re the only one coming in through the window,” she chuckled. “But she had those cold eyes,” she continued, shivering as she recalled those blue eyes. Kara put her arm around her and pulled her close. “She said she was being used by the military, so I guess she escaped. She had that Russian accent and said her name was…” she trailed off, hesitantly looking up to make eye contact with Kara.

Kara held her breath, feeling like she knew what was going to be the answer before she even asked. “What was her name ?”

“Kara Zor-El.”

Hearing what she was expecting, Kara still sucked in a breath in surprise, feeling a little dizzy with this new information. “How…” She couldn’t even finish her question.

“I don’t know,” Alex answered. “She had powers though. She came by the window, and I’m on the last floor of this very _high_ and _secured_ building. I don’t know where she came from Kara, but she looked exactly like you and could fly. Super-speed too,” she added, remembering the speed with which she left. “So I think she has all of your powers.”

Alex could hear Kara breathing long and deep breaths, slowly letting them out, her eyes shut. “That’s… That’s a lot,” was all Kara could say.

Hesitating for a moment, Alex decided it was best to lay everything out in the open. “That’s not all”, she said, almost regretting it as she saw Kara clench her jaw. “She said that… She had your memories.”

She could see the moment Kara stopped breathing altogether, eyes staying closed for a beat before opening again. “What ?”

“She knew my name,” Alex explained. “Well, she called me _Alexandra,_ so clearly she was the wrong Kara,” she lamely joked, trying to lift the bad mood. “She has your memories, but not your feelings.” At Kara’s confusion, Alex continued. “She was surprised to hear the word _sister,_ like it meant nothing to her. I think she has your memories, but not how you felt at that time. But she does feel in the present, I asked.”

Kara flopped back down on the bed, making Alex jump a little with the force of it, and let out the longest and biggest sigh she ever heard.

After a silent moment, Alex keeping her mouth shut as Kara mulled it all over, Kara broke the silence. “So she’s… Kryptonian then.”

That was a statement, a logical one, but there was a hint of a question in the way she said it. Like it was obvious enough to state, but so unbelievable she still needed to ask confirmation.

“I think so,” Alex whispered, feeling the weight of the fact tightening her heart inside her chest. It would mean so much to Kara to have another Kryptonian around.

After another long quiet moment, Kara spoke up again. “But we don’t know if she’s dangerous or not.”

Shaking her head, Alex agreed. “No.”

“And we don’t know where she came from,” she kept commenting, adding the facts to the growing list.

“We know she was in Russia, held by the military, but… I don’t know where she originally came from.”

Kara sighed again, pushing the palms of her hands against her eyes. She was exhausted and her brain, although advanced, was having trouble keeping up with all this information. “Great,” she mumbled.

“Hey,” came the soft voice from Kara’s right, making her pull away her hands from her eyes, dropping her left arm on her forehead. “We’ll figure it out,” she promised. “If it can make you feel a little better, she didn’t seem dangerous. She looked like she just wanted help.”

Looking at Alex under her arm, Kara could see the determination and earnestness Alex was emanating, making her slightly relax. She nodded, accepting Alex’s promise.

“When was she here ?” she asked, suddenly wondering.

Alex looked away before fixing her gaze on Kara again. “Right before you got there. That’s why I still had the gun in hand.”

“What !” Kara practically shouted, scowling so hard her Crinkled was lost in a sea of crinkles. “Why didn’t you tell me ?!”

Alex slightly recoiled at the volume of Kara’s voice before crossing her arms. “I just- I was so tired, and I didn’t want to put yet another weight on your shoulders,” she whispered while looking down.

She heard Kara sharply inhale before her soft voice soothed the shouting from before. “Alex, never,” she said while putting her hand on Alex’s left cheek, putting a little pressure to turn her head so they’d be face to face, “ _never_ think you’re a burden,” she strongly said, eyes darker than usual. “I don’t care if you tell me I have five minutes to save the world, I want you to always tell me things like that. The weight of regret and hurt that’d come after finding out you lied to me will always be greater than the worry I’ll feel when you do tell me,” she assured, eyes never leaving Alex’s. She could still see hesitation in Alex’s eyes, so she pushed a little further. “I say this in this situation, but it also applies when I’m not concerned. I want you to share your worries and fears with me, want to be there for you.”

She talked with such fervency that Alex had to believe everything she said. Plus, she knew Kara would never lie to her, even less about something like that.

“Okay,” she whispered, unshed tears making her eyes lighter than the soft brown they usually were. “Okay.”

“Okay,” repeated Kara, pulling her head on her chest and rocking them minutely while stroking her hair.

Sleep came easier for the both of them after their heartfelt conversation, Kara relieved Alex was fine and Alex more relaxed now that she said everything to Kara.  
They fell asleep holding each other tightly, bathing in each other’s familiar scent.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I already told you.” Her voice was strained, tired. They’ve been at it for hours. “She came by the window, like Kara always does. We talked. She left and Kara arrived seconds later.”

“Well, tell us again,” Lucy insisted. She wasn’t faring any better, brows knitted together in weariness.

Alex sighed and let her head fall onto her crossed arms on the table. Kara soothingly rubbed her back, trying to convey her comfort and support.

“We’ve been over this. I told you everything, word for word. You have everything recorded. Let me go look into it,” she mumbled, head still in her arms before leaning back in her seat to see their reactions. At the severe looks she received she backpedalled. “Or at least, let me work in the lab. I have ongoing projects that desperately need my attention.”

Lucy was going to object but Kara cut her off. “If I stay with her, can she work at her lab ?” Kara offered, always having Alex’s back. “I won’t let her leave my sight,” she promised.

The sisters could see Lucy internally debating, fingers fiddling with her sleeve. They felt bad for spurring this on her so suddenly, especially when J’onn was giving her more responsibility within the DEO so he could focus on more urgent DEO business.  
Alex, Kara and Lucy were using one of the conference room because the Danvers said that it was an urgent and very discreet business, the sisters afraid the DEO agents would push the new Director Lane to engage with the unknown Kara.

“We’re safer here anyway,” Kara continued. “We’re surrounded with agents and alien weapons, that’s the most strategic place to be right now,” she pushed. She glanced sideways at Alex, receiving a grateful nod.

“Fine,” eventually sighed Lucy, dropping her head on her hand out of exhaustion. “But you,” she pointed at Kara with a stern look, “are not to leave Agent Danvers’ side. If anything happens—”

“It won’t,” assured Alex. “We’ll be careful. Plus, now we know she has powers and that she’s looking for me. We’ll be prepared.”

There was a standoff, Alex and Lucy staring at each other when Lucy threw her head back in a dramatic motion.

“Fine,” she finally agreed. “I want a report every hour Danvers.” She rolled her eyes at Kara’s confusion. “Not you Kara, the other Danvers. I can’t be behind you all day, I want to know where you are and what you’re doing every hour. Is that clear Agent Danvers ?”

Alex gave her a curt nod before standing up and quickly leaving the room, Kara hot on her heels.

“Just tell me.”

Alex frowned when she looked at Kara, walking by her side. “What ?”

“I know you’re planning something,” she said under her breath, careful of not being overheard. Walls had ears at the DEO. “I know you, you—”

Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her into her lab, swiftly locking behind them.

“What are you talking about ?” she demanded, arms crossed over her chest.

Kara rolled her eyes as she sat on the office chair, spinning with her legs outstretched. “You can drop it Alex. Even if I didn’t know, you throwing me into your lab before locking it and your crazy heartbeat would be a dead giveaway.” Alex pursed her lips but said nothing. “Come on,” she whined. “I’m not going to rat you out ! I want to help !”

Alex looked at her for a beat, eyes squinted in suspicion. “You want to help,” she deadpanned, clearly not believing her. “You, Kara Zor-El, who doesn’t want me in any danger, wants to _help_ me ?”

Kara shrugged as she looked down at her clasped hands, thumbs whirling around the other. “Yeah. I want to know what she’s up to just as much as you,” she quietly said, gaze still locked on her hands.

“Hey.” The murmured voice made her look up after a second of hesitation, meeting soft brown eyes. “I don’t know how it must feel for you,” she began while she took Kara’s hands in hers, “but I’m here. And we’re going to figure it out, no matter what. I promise.”

Kara could already breathe a little easier at Alex’s last words, knowing how her promises were more like vows. She took it seriously, and so did Kara.

“Okay. Yeah, okay. Thanks Alex,” she said, getting up and wrapping her sister into a warm and comfortable hug. They both sighed in contentment, enjoying this moment. They knew they had to get to work soon.

Squeezing Kara’s shoulder before letting go, Alex cleared her throat and took a step back for more clarity. She put her hands on her hips, a habit she took when she wanted to be taken seriously.

“So, we’ll have an hour before Lucy notices we’re gone. Whatever we do, either we do it in an hour or we get ready to accept the consequences.” At Kara’s nod she continued. “I’d like to find a way to meet her. I know Lucy and J’onn aren’t like that, but there are procedures to follow. The President’s been on our asses since Myriad so the DEO can’t make mistakes. A rogue Agent though…” she smirked at the implication, Kara vibrating with excitement.

Due to the dangers of her alienness, Kara always followed the rules, trying to blend in as much as possible. But now that she could, that she had authorization, she was giddy at the thought even if the only thing they did was running a red light.

“So, what do you have in mind ?” she asked, bouncing on her heels to try and stop accidentally floating. She knew Alex didn’t usually mind but they were having a serious conversation, floating around would look way too playful.

Alex rubbed her lower lip with her index finger, like she did when thinking, and frowned. “I don’t know. We’re not rushed. Yet. We can form a plan but we’ll have to execute it in an hour, that’s the problem.”

“Not when you have super-speed !” Kara bragged, flexing her arm in a show of strength.

Alex snorted but still smiled at Kara’s antics. “I’m not worried about the drive Kar’. I’m worried about _her._ What if she wants to talk ? Like, for over an hour ? What if she shows up and we run out of time ?”

Kara took a step forward, in turn taking Alex’s hand in hers. “Then we’ll deal with it. You know Lucy and J’onn have your back. Don’t worry.”

Taking a deep breath before releasing it, Alex nodded then her expression turned determined. “So we have to plan our escape.”

Kara’s smile could only be described as _evil,_ the repressed bad girl in her raging to come out. “ _Bangarang_ ,” she whispered to herself, feeling like it was finally her time.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Don’t push me !”

“Shush ! You’re way too loud !” Alex whispered.

“ _You’re_ way too loud !” the blonde whispered back.

“Now _that’s_ mature,” grumbled Alex, still lowering her voice. Just in case.

She heard Kara huff and pushed her again for good measure.

“Now who’s immature ?” complained Kara, glaring at Alex. “What now ?” she sighed.

“I don’t know,” Alex mumbled lowly before raising her voice a little as she couldn’t contain her frustration anymore. “You tell me. We’re stuck here because of you, _genius_!”

Kara gaped at her, looking for words strong enough to translate her indignation, before moving to cross her arms. And realizing she couldn’t. She couldn’t even move her shoulders.

They were currently in the air vents, trying to make their way out of the DEO unnoticed. Tragically, Kara insisted that they could go crawl next to each other. _I’m sure we’ll both fit !_  
Wrong. Kara’s broad shoulders really weren’t useful in this situation and trying to wiggle out of it would most likely result in a broken bone for Alex. They were stuck too tightly, shoulder to shoulder, in a long metallic tube.

They couldn’t even hope to be rescued because Alex cut all of their surveillance camera and traps, along with the motion sensors put in case of a break-in.  
So really, the situation couldn’t be worse.

Unless… Kara’s stomach began to gurgle, the sound loudly echoing in the tight space, causing her to wince guiltily.

“Sorry,” she sheepishly mouthed at Alex.

Alex who just pursed her lips and closed her eyes, and would pinch the bridge of her nose if she could move right now.

“This is all going terribly,” she mumbled unhappily, gently dropping her head on the cold surface.

“I’m sorry…”

Kara’s whispered voice came out weaker than intended and Alex opened her eyes again, casting a sideways glance at her on her left.

“That’s okay, you didn’t kn—”

A loud noise of metal groaning echoed in the tight space, the sisters looking at each other in alarm, wondering where it came from.  
Then the noise became louder and Kara disappeared from her sight before Alex quickly followed her.

Before they hit the ground, Alex felt strong arms surrounding her and shifting her so she’d be on top. They both fell in an empty hallway, Alex feeling the air being pushed out of her lungs as she fell on something harder than the ground.

“Are you okay ?”

Groaning, Alex slowly sit up and looked around to make sure they were alone. “Yeah…”

Alex was next to a still laying Kara, knowing her body could become harder than stone when in danger and thought about the bruises she’d later get. They looked up to see the bottom of the air vent completely holed and Kara sheepishly looked at Alex.

“Whoops…?”

Alex sighed then mumbled under her breath something resembling suspiciously a lot like _Stupid Kryptonians and their stupid density._

She stood up with a groan, already feeling the bruises coming, and put her hands on her hip as she thought about what to do.  
Her reflection was cut short when Kara _gently_ grabbed her by her arm and pushed her into a dimly lit room.

“What are you doing ?” Alex hissed, looking around the room. It was empty save for a few products agents used when their shift were too long and needed to shower.

Kara shushed her with a hand on her mouth, and Alex was going to complain before she saw the distracted look on Kara’s face.  
They waited for a minute in this position, Alex against the wall next to the door, and Kara against her with her hand on Alex’s mouth. That’s when Alex heard footsteps.

She slowly grabbed Kara’s hands, tugging a little to let her know she wouldn’t make too much noise. “They’re here,” she whispered, the statement useless as Kara heard far more than she did.

Kara nodded, her focus still on what was happening outside. After a few seconds she spoke. “They don’t know it was us,” she commented. Before Alex could feel relieved, she followed up. “But it won’t take long before they do.”

“Yeah, they’ll have to notify Lucy or J’onn. Or at least make them sign something, but I doubt they miss much of what’s happening in their agency.” They looked at each other. “We don’t have much time.”

They could see shadows of agents running by under the door, muffled voices coming down from a few feet away.  
Kara pursed her lips and looked around, trying to find an exit.

“Don’t bother,” Alex muttered. “It’s an utility closet, it won’t have an exit. We try to have the least exits possible here to prevent break-ins or escapes.”

It was a smart move on J’onn’s part, removing useless windows and such, but it really wasn’t convenient for them right now.

“Well, we’ll just have to—”

She abruptly stopped talking, taking Alex in her arms and once again putting her hand over her mouth as she floated them against the ceiling, Kara’s back against it and Alex’s back against Kara’s front.  
She positioned them with Alex under her so she could stuck her cape between her own back and the ceiling, preventing it from dangling and being detected.

Alex didn’t even have the time to gasp and almost bit Kara’s hand in retaliation at being manhandled and shushed twice in as many minutes before she stopped herself, watching as the door was being opened.

She held her breath, watching at the agent quickly looked around before leaving the room, closing it again behind him and shouting “clear !” to his colleagues.

She heard Kara gulping loudly behind her and she frowned, wondering why Kara was anxious when the agent just cleared the room.

Kara softly floated back down and gently put Alex back on her feet with an apologetic smile. “It was close,” she breathed out, leaving as much space as possible between her and Alex.

“You okay ?” Alex asked while putting a hand on Kara’s arm.

She felt her tense under her touch. “Yeah !” She winced as she spoke too loudly, waiting for a second to listen if the agents heard her but sighed in relief when they just kept searching. “Yes,” she said softer now. “Just on edge.”

 _That sounds familiar._ Of course it was, it was what Alex said to Kara after the Russian woman came into her home unannounced and Alex lied to Kara about it. _She’s lying._

She just hummed because she didn’t want to push, not now. They were on a race against time after all, now even more with the ruckus they just made.

Kara walked to the door, staying suspiciously close to the walls in order to keep her distance from Alex, and x-rayed vision the wall to see where the agents were.

“I can use my super-speed to get out of here but the air vents are out of the question, all the DEO is looking into the incident. What do we do ?”

She usually could take decisions on her own, being Supergirl everyday helped her with that, but Alex knew the DEO like her back pocket.  
She looked at her, waiting for an answer while Alex thought about their options.

“We’ll have to break out,” she sighed. “I bet J’onn or Lucy already heard about it and are looking for us as we speak. We can’t linger here, we’ll get caught.”

Kara fidgeted with her cape. She wasn’t anxious about getting caught, she was anxious about being seen differently, like an alien who illegally broke her human sister out of her workplace to bring her directly into danger. She began hesitating, biting her lower lip.

“What is it ?”

The voice startled her out of her worrying, her gaze meeting Alex’s.

“What ?”

“Come on,” Alex scowled. “I know you. You’re having second thoughts. Kara,” she said softly, “if you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to. You know that, right ?”

“I do,” Kara asserted seriously. “I do. It’s just… I don’t want the agents to see me as…”

She gulped, not able to voice her worries to Alex.

“Dangerous,” her sister breathed out in realization. Kara kept looking at her feet and nodded. “They won’t, Kara.” When her sister chanced a glance in her direction, Alex insisted. “They won’t,” she fiercely repeated. “They might not know your real name, but they _know_ you. They know _you,_ Kara.”

“I’m not—”

“Hey.”

The male voice made them both jump, taken by surprise as they were both focused on their conversation.  
Kara whirled and put herself in front of Alex in a defensive gesture. But that wasn’t necessary.

“Winn ?” Alex asked, frowning as she looked over Kara’s shoulder as the blonde immediately relaxed. Damn was Kara tall.

“Hey,” he said again, quickly closing the door behind him as he entered the room. “The whole DEO is looking for you, you know ?”

Kara tensed again and looked behind her, watching as Alex pursed her lips. “Are you here to turn us in ?”

Winn huffed in disbelief. “Of course not !” Both sisters shushed him as he practically shouted his indignation. “Sorry,” he sheepishly whispered.

“But how did you find us ?” Kara asked curiously. They took all the precautions they could think of to stay undetected.

Snorting, Winn rolled his eyes. “Sure.” At the Danvers’ unimpressed expression, her gaped at them. “Come o- _come on_! I’m a genius, it’s not that hard to follow your heat signature,” he said, looking pointedly at Kara who was always running many degrees hotter than humans.

“Busted,” whispered Alex behind her as she crossed her arms, close to actually pouting.

“So, what are you doing here ?” Kara asked, clearly annoyed that they were found because of her.

“Well, no one wanted to tell me what was going on so I wanted to check with you before helping you.”

The Danvers looked at each other in surprise because Winn usually wasn’t the one to break the rules, except for hacking into highly classified files to find a dangerous alien.

Alex sighed in resignation, knowing they needed his help if they wanted to cause the less damage possible. “Kara’s doppelganger turned up at my apartment last night and we’re trying to go meet her before the DEO blindly attacks her without knowing if she’s a threat or not,” she explained in a same breath, holding Kara’s hand that shot up to protect her when Winn came in.

There was a moment of silence that lasted several long seconds, Winn just staring at them with a blank expression, before his brain likely exploded and words poured out without restrain.

“Kara’s dop- what do you mean ? When was this ? Did she have powers ? What did she want ? Did she hurt you ?” he asked frantically, not able to stop the questions from coming out. “Do you know where she is ? And where she comes from ? Are you—”

“Winn !” Kara hissed in whisper-shout, grabbing his shoulders to make him stop.

“We don’t know much,” Alex quickly followed up, wanting to tell him everything so he would stop asking questions they didn’t have answers to. “She had a Russian accent and was held by the military.”

“If she wasn’t lying,” Kara commented.

Alex nodded in agreement before continuing. “If what she said is indeed true, she has Kara’s memories. Not her feelings though. She knew who I was but not _what_ I was to Kara because she was surprised when I said I was her sister.”

Winn blew out a long breath, rubbing his forehead as he assimilated all of these new informations at once. “That’s a lot.”

Kara hummed in agreement. “That’s what I said.”

“So… You want to meet her before the DEO does to know what she wants, right ?” he summed up and both women nodded. “Well, I can find her if you want.”

“How ?” Alex suspiciously asked. “You couldn’t find the Wordkillers last time.”

Winn flinched at the insinuation, still raw at not having been able to find and help his team. “I know I wasn’t good enough,” he sadly whispered. “But I’m getting better so I don’t lose anyone else.” Demos’ face came to mind, the agent dying under the heat-vision of the Wordkillers having left a clear psychological scar to many DEO agents. “And with Sam staying with us as long as she did and Lena’s research, I found a way to track Kryptonians’ heat signature.”

There was still sadness in his eyes, but his pride at having found a way to better himself and help his friends made him stand taller, straighter.

“That’s amazing, Winn”, Kara softly congratulated him with a hand on his arm, squeezing lightly.

They all shared the loss of Agent Demos, the agent present through every fight and every problem they faced for years. Alex knew him the longest but Winn the better because he worked closely to him on a few cases. Kara still felt the grief even though she didn’t know him that well, she was grateful to him for having been a good colleague, friend even, to Winn and Alex.  
And now she couldn’t thank him.

“He’d be proud,” Alex said, knowing everyone in the room was thinking about him.

Winn dropped his head, shy, and cleared his throat to get rid of the emotions that was tightening his throat.

“Anyway, if you have a couple of minutes I can help you track her,” he said, quickly getting back to the work conversation. He pulled a tablet out of his back and got to work, sitting on the floor next to the door while Kara and Alex stood awkwardly next to him, watching him work. After a few minutes of working with scrunched eyebrows, typing furiously on the tablet, he let out a soft _whoop !_ “I think I got her, guys.”

Both women bent down to look at the screen and Alex scowled while Kara looked confused. “What…”

“What is it ?” Winn asked, watching their expressions darken. “Is it weird ? Did I get it wrong ?”

“No, she’s…” Kara murmured, gaze locked on the screen.

“She’s at Kara’s,” Alex tensely said, already straightening and checking her guns for the third time since they left her lab. She was preparing for war.

“It’s not surprising, really,” Winn absentmindedly commented, locking the tablet and getting up. At Kara’s and Alex’s look he raised his eyebrows. “What ? Is she has Kara’s memories it’s only logical she’d go home.”

“He’s not wrong,” Alex said while looking at Kara. “But it’s not home for her, she doesn’t feel anything toward the apartment. She’s there on recon,” Alex somberly declared.

“But _why_?” Kara anxiously asked, back to fidgeting with her cape until Alex put a reassuring hand on hers to stop the movement.

With a small smile Alex answered “I don't know. Maybe she wants to understand herself better, so she's investigating you. I guess we'll just have to ask.”

“You're just going to… _ask_?” asked Winn in disbelief. “What if she tries to ki—”

“She won't,” Kara confidently assured. “She wouldn't hurt Alex, even if she only knows her through me.”

Winn scowled at Kara’s logic. “Kara, she doesn't feel what you feel for Alex, she doesn't—”

“It doesn't matter,” she snapped, cutting Winn off yet again. “If there's one thing I know about her, it's that she won't hurt Alex.”

She didn't realize she was squeezing Alex’s hand a little too tightly, but the latter didn't say a word. She knew Kara would do close to anything for her, but believing a stranger would too was another matter.  
She started worrying that Kara was putting to much faith in this woman, hoping that the Kryptonian’s blood in her would somehow make her _good._

“Kar’, we have to be careful around her, do you understand ?” she asked softly yet forcefully. “I don't think she means any harm but we simply don't _know,_ we can't take any chances.”

She stared into blue eyes, not blinking until Kara hesitantly nodded.

“I do understand Alex. I just don't think she'll want to hurt you if she has a tenth of my memories with you. Feelings or not, the facts are that you are good and kind and helped me my entire life. She has to see that.”

Her expression held so much love and adoration that Alex couldn't help but blush under the attention and compliments.

“We’ll see,” she mumbled, Kara and Winn smiling at her obvious embarrassment. She never knew how to respond to Kara’s praises.

Winn gently bumped Kara’s shoulder with his own. “So, what now ? How can I help ?” he asked.

Kara returned the playful gesture, sending him a little too forcefully against the wall. “Sorry !” She whispered, checking if he was alright. When all he replied was a snort, she smiled. “I think you've done enough. I don't want you in any more trouble, if J’onn or Lucy find out you helped us…” She shivered at the thought, knowing they'd be harder on actual agents, especially agents known for their friendship with Supergirl and the Directors’ right arm.

“Yeah, we’ll take it from here,” Alex said kindly.

“If you're sure…” he hesitantly said, looking back and forth between Kara and Alex. They nodded and he smiled. “Okay. Well, good luck I guess. You know I'll be on coms if you need anything.”

“Thanks Winn,” they said in unison, too used to thanking him for always helping them whenever they needed.

“We’ll go first,” Alex decided. “Kara, get us out of here as soon as there's an openi—”

Winn blinked and they were gone, a _swoosh_ followed by a strangled cry that will undoubtedly be followed by Alex’s revenge.

He stayed a moment in the room, just in case, before leaving and bumping into a tall, large body.

“Agent Schott.”

He rubbed his painful nose before slowly looking up, not really needing to as he already recognized the voice.

“J’onn,” he squeaked.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“You didn't have to punch that hard,” Kara complained, her hand rubbing her shoulder.

“Please,” Alex scoffed. “I hurt myself more than I hurt you. You didn't even feel it.”

Kara glanced at Alex's hand, the skin red and throbbing.

“You shouldn't have, then.”

Alex glared at her as Kara took her hand and blew a little freeze-breath on it. “You shouldn't have just grabbed me and super-sped me for _miles_ without telling me first,” she countered, still feeling grateful for Kara’s healing skills, always knowing how to treat Alex. She didn’t need to know all of that for herself as she was immune to human diseases, but she researched everything she needed to know so she could help Alex as best as she could whenever she needed it.

“I’m sorry,” Kara sincerely said, looking into Alex’s eyes. “I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, but I should have warned you. I know you don’t like it.”

Kara stopped running a few blocks away after their escape, far enough not to be caught but as near as possible to let go of a fuming Alex. Kara was trying to untangle Alex’s hair clumsily when she felt a soft pressure on her shoulder and looked down to see Alex clenching her fist in her hand with a pained and furious expression. And now here she was, apologizing, owning her mistake. How proud would her parents be right now.

Alex glared at her for a few seconds before sighing. “That’s okay, Kara. I can’t wait to figure this out too, I get it.” At Kara’s hopeful look, she smiled encouragingly. “Come on Supergirl, fly us to your place.”

She didn’t expect Kara to blush furiously and quickly turn around to hide her obvious embarrassment at Alex’s words.  
Alex frowned because Kara didn’t usually pick up on innocent innuendos like this, always too oblivious or naive to notice. But now Kara was flushed and sputtering some nonsense about needing to clean her glasses when she wasn’t even wearing them, her back still at Alex’s while she busied herself cleaning unnecessary glasses.  
It was even more odd as Kara never cleaned her glasses, her enhanced vision taking no notice of the fingers stains and looking through it.

Just as she was about to call her on it, Kara turned around and quickly put an awkward smile on her face, fidgeting with the now clean glasses.

“Are you gonna wear glasses Supergirl ?” Alex teased with a raised eyebrow.

And Kara blushed even more, if that was even possible, struggling to take them off and stuff them in a hidden pocket of her suit. “Right !” she laughed loudly and suspiciously while putting her hair back behind her ear. “So, are we going or what ?” she asked, nervously clenching and unclenching her fists.

Alex hummed, trying to figure out what was the deal with her sister, and put her palms up in a waiting gesture.

Kara hesitantly reached out, slowly putting her arms around Alex’s waist and they found themselves quite close, their nose almost touching each other’s.  
Alex heard the blonde take a deep breath before tightening her hold enough so she wouldn’t slip mid-flight and took off, bending her legs a little before flying straight into the sky.  
She always kept a decent speed while flying with someone, the human’s skin easily hurt and dried up, and they slowly made their way to Kara’s apartment.

Both of their hearts were beating widely and they wondered if the Russian could hear them coming. But the foreigner didn’t know them well so she probably didn’t have their heartbeats registered, thus not hearing them from this afar.

Gently floating down, Kara kept a steady hold around Alex as they touched the roof of her building as she held an ear out for the woman.

“I hear her heartbeat,” she whispered to Alex, hearing the slightly faster beating of the Kryptonian’s heart. “She’s waiting for us,” she announced, muscles tense as she x-rayed the building to find her doppelgänger casually sitting on her couch.

It was dark out now as they spent the day thinking of their escape, and the cold air made Alex slightly relax.  
Kara, on the other hand, was so tense she felt she could break at any moment. She felt warmth spread from her hand and looked down to see Alex’s hand around hers, thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of it.

“Time to face the music,” the brunette said with a smile, and though her voice was shaky she still stood tall and ready.


	2. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Alex finally meet Kara's doppelganger but something interrupts them...

Kara slowly opened her front door, Alex safely hidden behind her - against her consent - and looked around, watching as the other blonde stood up from the couch.  
When the sisters were both inside, the door closed and locked behind them, there was a long silence only broken by their frantic heartbeats.  
  
Finally, the Russian spoke first. “Alexandra,” she greeted with the smallest nod, her eyes never leaving Kara’s.  
  
The superhero felt the agent tense behind her, her body radiating anxiousness and she heard her hand grabbing her gun at her hip, though letting it in its holster.  
Feeling Alex react that way, a feeling of fear grabbed Kara by the throat and she leaned back until she felt Alex’s body against her back.  
  
“What do you want ?” Kara asked, straight to the point, jaw and fists clenched.  
  
The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon through the open window, but the Kryptonians didn’t even notice the lack of light.  
Alex did, being human, but didn’t mind as she was accustomed to missions being led in the dark and kept quiet, letting Kara do the talking. She knew she had things to say. Not that Alex didn’t, but that was bigger for Kara, more important.  
  
“I just want to talk,” the Russian said, looking as relaxed as ever even when facing another Kryptonian.  
  
“Talk about what ?” Even Alex could hear Kara’s voice tremble ever so slightly, but she knew it was because of the strain of restraining her anger and frustration and confusion.  
  
“I need your help.”  
  
“My help ?” Kara asked, already suspicious.  
  
“No,” the blonde answered as she shook her head. “Alexandra’s,” she clarified.  
  
Kara frowned and looked at Alex over her shoulder, silently asking what was happening, but Alex only shook her head to signal she didn’t know either.  
  
“My help for what ?” finally asked Alex, still on guard.  
  
“To train me.”  
  
“Why her ?” Kara immediately asked, tensing even more. “If you’re really Kryptonian, I’m the only one you could spar with. She’s a human, you’d hurt her.”  
  
For the first time, Alex saw the other Kara show a little of emotion as she let out a small chuckle. “Do not lie Kara,” she said in her thick accent, “I have your memories, remember ? I saw her kick your ass thanks to Kryptonite lights. I saw her train you. She will do.”  
  
Kara bent her legs ever so slightly and her arm shot up to protect Alex from another angle. “That’s not gonna happen,” she growled, her eyes lighting up just enough to make the threat clear.  
  
“Why not ?” the other blonde asked through gritted teeth, apparently taken aback by the refusal like it didn’t even occur to her they might say no.  
  
“Because I don’t know you, I don’t trust you,” explained Kara, still in a defensive stance. “We know nothing about you and you explain nothing. You were held by the military, who says they didn’t send you to figure out my identity ? To find out about people I love and hurt them ? Who says you weren’t created by Lord ? It wouldn’t be the first time he sent a doppelganger after me.”  
  
Every time Alex tried to step aside to be next to her, Kara just kept her hands on her sides so Alex would be stuck behind her. So when Kara’s chest was heaving by her little rant, she reached out and squeezed her hand to offer some comfort and she immediately felt Kara’s hand relax.  
  
“We’re here without the approval of the DEO,” Alex suddenly spoke up before the Russian could. “That’s the secret government agency I’m working for. I’m telling you this so you know they’re looking for you and that we’re here to talk to you without causing any damage.”  
  
“Although I’m not above fighting if necessary,” Kara cut Alex off, making herself clear.  
  
“But that won’t be necessary,” Alex pointedly said while looking at Kara, knowing her sister would know she was being glared at even without seeing it. “We just want some explanation.”  
  
“I thou—”  
  
Her sentence was cut off as she loudly gasped, quickly followed by Kara and they both fell to their knees. They groaned, clearly in pain, and started sweating.  
  
“Kara !” Alex immediately kneeled down next to her sister, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her cheek, lifting her head so she could see her eyes. “What’s going on ?” she asked frantically, eyes darting all over Kara’s body in hope to find the source of her pain.  
  
The blonde was wheezing now, clutching painfully at her chest and creasing the crest on her suit, eyes clenched shut. “ Kryptonite ,” she panted after several attempts of trying to form a full sentence.  
  
Alex frowned because she didn’t know how there could be Kryptonite in Kara’s apartment of all places, and whirled when a thought came to her. “You !” she growled to accuse her doppelgänger but saw the Russian woman not faring any better than Kara, currently convulsing on the floor.  
  
Her mind spun, not knowing what to do except getting them out of here, but the Kryptonite didn’t appear here out of nowhere.  
  
Then it clicked and she tensed before wrapping her arms around Kara and putting herself between her weakened sister and the open window. “Shit,” she grumbled under her breath before warning her sister in a louder and commanding voice. “Cover your eyes !” She took Kara’s head and pulled her onto her chest, trying to protect her as much as she could with her small body.  
  
Not a second later, the whole apartment was bathed in white light, blinding everyone who would have the misfortune to have their eyes opened, and loud shouts and broken glass were all that the trio could hear for several seconds. The place was filled with loud noises, making both Kryptonians wince in pain because everything was too loud; too much.  
Kara could hear her furniture and things getting broken, her favorite vase shattering in a million pieces on the floor and military boots making scrunch noises as the men walked on it.  
  
Kara could feel her mind drifting, the pain becoming too much to bear and her body protecting itself by shutting down. Just before losing consciousness, she vaguely heard Alex shout “Stay away from her !” though it was as if she was locked in a box, the voices becoming heavier but quieter.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Waking up with a start, Kara immediately sit up and looked around, already tensing up in anticipation of an attack.  
Alex, who heard Kara gasp as she woke up, stood up and ran to be near her. She put her hand on the glass separating them, looking at her sister who was sitting up on the floor with wild eyes.  
  
“Hey, I’m here,” she was quick to reassure her, tapping the glass with the palm of her hand to get Kara’s attention. “You’re safe, everything’s fine.”  
  
Finally Kara locked gaze with Alex and she relaxed right away, breathing easier now that her sister was here. But her relief didn’t last as she realized where she was and Alex saw the understanding dawn on Kara and winced in advance.  
  
“Why am I in a cell ?” Kara shakily asked, the tremor in her voice matching her trembling body. “Why am I locked up ?”  
  
It was clear to Alex that she was terrified, it wasn’t surprising; and she blamed herself for it. Kara had even voiced her fear of it happening before they escaped the DEO; told Alex how she was scared the DEO would see her as someone dangerous, someone to be feared and not appreciated.  
And now she was locked in a cell, terrified and alone. Well, not exactly alone.  
  
“I’m here,” repeated Alex. “I’m sorry, I tried to stop them but… They had to take precautions with the other… you.”  
  
“What happened ?” Kara was now hugging legs, knees to her chest, as she looked up at Alex with a vulnerable look. It was everything she feared happening, long before the Red Kryptonite incident.  
  
Alex gulped, trying to force the words out. “I’m not sure. I insisted to be with you, so I wasn’t debriefed or anything. Not that they would have told me anything as I disobeyed orders directly from the Director.”  
  
For the first time since she woke up, Kara took a really good look at her sister and felt her eyes widen as she saw her face. “Alex !” she gasped loudly, quickly getting to her feet and meeting Alex’s hand with her own on the other side of the glass. “What happened to you ? Who did this to you ?” Her voice was loud now, a mix between anger and worry, and her other hand seemed to reach out to trace Alex’s bruises but the glass stopped her so she slid her fingers on it instead, distantly tracing Alex’s face.  
  
“It’s nothing,” she assured with a small smile, the wound on her lip widening at the same time. “I had to be a little persuasive to convince them to let me stay with you.”  
  
“Oh, Alex...” Kara whispered sadly, putting her forehead on the glass, looking her sister through her eyelashes. “You shouldn't have, I don’t want you to get hurt. Not for me.”  
  
“I don’t care, I just want to be with you. When I saw them dragging you in the cell… It’s as much for you as it’s for me, Kara. I couldn’t leave you alone like that.”  
  
There was so much fierceness in her voice that Kara couldn’t argue, knowing she would do the same for her sister. She closed her eyes, forehead still against the glass, and sighed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.  
  
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” Alex scowled, her strong voice causing Kara to open her eyes again, sad blue eyes meeting strong brown ones. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I brought you with me on this insane mission when you told me you were worried that—”  
  
“That’s my problem,” Kara cut her off, straightening up. “I took the decision after forcing you tell me what you were planning. I don’t want any apology from you.” She was pacing her cell now, brows furrowed and head down. “I owe you an apology !”  
  
“Damn it, Kara !” the brunette groaned in frustration, hitting the glass with her palm, and the blonde jumped and turned to look at an angry Alex. “It is not your fault, and—”  
  
“It’s not your fault either,” she countered, standing her ground with her fists on her hips.  
  
Alex pursed her lips, staring at the blonde, and eventually sighed. “Fine. It’s no one’s fault then.” When Kara opened her mouth to argue, Alex raised an eyebrow and Kara shut it again. “It doesn’t matter anyway, we’re still here.”  
  
Kara looked away and slumped on the metallic bed, putting her head in her head. “So, what now ? What happened when I passed out ?” she asked as she raised her head, arms resting on her knees.  
  
The brunette also took a seat, leaning her side and head against the glass. “I don’t know,” she sighed. “The DEO used Kryptonite,” she spat, “against you and the— the other you, then took us back to the base.” Kara looked around and noticed small changes from the usual cells. “We’re back at the desert base,” confirmed Alex, seeing Kara look around. “They threw you in the cell and took the other one away, they’re most likely interrogating her right now.”  
  
She saw Kara stiffen and frowned. Kara held her gaze but looked hesitant to say whatever was on her mind. She dropped her eyes, shoulders slumped, looking even more vulnerable than she did when she realized they locked her up.  
  
“Do you think…” Alex’s heartbeats matched the tremors in Kara’s voice.  
  
“What ?”  
  
“She just— She knows everything about me, about us. It’s weird, trusting someone with a decade of memories that aren’t her own.” She takes a breath, as if breathing in some courage to ask her actual question. “What if the DEO takes advantage ? Now that they think I went rogue or something and want to know—”  
  
“They wouldn’t do that,” quickly assure Alex, putting her hand back on the glass. “They wouldn’t.”  
  
“You don’t know that,” Kara sadly said, looking back at the floor. “Everything changed, I just feel it. We went against Lucy’s orders, and friends or not she can’t just— just let go everything unpunished !”  
  
“Kara,” Alex softly said, surprised by her outburst, “you know they’d protect us. We have each other’s backs.”  
  
“We do,” Kara murmured, “but what’s the limit ? I just— I feel like that’s a turning point Alex, I don’t know… I have a bad feeling.”  
  
“We’ll see if we get there. For now we just… have to wait. It doesn’t do anything to worry about it now.”  
  
Alex clenched her jaw though, because she wouldn’t forget any time soon the DEO used Kryptonite on Kara. Kara.  
  
“You’re right,” sighed Kara, slowly sliding down off the bed and resting her back against it to be on eye level with her sister. “I just feel so helpless here, locked up. And you’re on the other side, what if they come to lock you up and I can’t do anything ?” Her breathing had quickened again at the prospect of seeing her sister being taken away and not being able to do anything about it.  
  
Alex immediately put her hand against the glass again and faced the blonde. “Kara, come here.” The blonde slowly looked up with a frown, her jaw clenching and relaxing repeatedly.  “Come here,” Alex said again, lightly tapping the cool surface with her fingers, and Kara complied, slowly closing the distance between them and put her hand against Alex’s, only an inch separating them. “We’re gonna be okay, I promise. Okay ?” After a beat, Kara nodded but Alex needed verbal assurance. “ Okay ? ” she pushed, eyebrow raised.  
  
Nodding again, Kara breathed out a quiet “Okay”. She looked into brown eyes and couldn’t help but worry again. “I just don’t want anything happen to you.”  
  
The brunette frowned. “Why are you saying that ? I’m DEO too, I’m protected.”  
  
But Kara was already shaking her head. “No, you’re not. Lucy once told me about this story whe—”  
  
A loud noise interrupted them and Alex was on her feet in less than a second, followed hastily by a slower because powerless Kara, and they faced the door that just opened. J’onn, face grim, quickly walked in followed by several agents.  
Focused on the man they considered family, the two women failed to see the person waiting at the door with a wicked smile.  
  
“J’onn.” Alex’s voice was so uncertain, a mix between relief and anger, and she didn’t know if she wanted to smile or just punch him.  
  
Kara stood behind her with both hands on her hips to appear poised and every bit of the superhero she was even though she didn’t feel like one at the moment.  
The brunette kept her back against the glass but with a defensive stance, both staying close to Kara but ready to jump in if necessary.  
  
Finally within talking distance, J’onn cleared her throat. “Agent Danvers, Supergirl,” he greeted gloomly. He watched both of them, the defiance in Alex’s high chin and worry in Kara’s eyes, before sighing. “Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that—”  
  
“You’re fired,” a loud and irritating voice cut him off. Kara was thankful to be taller than Alex because she just had to look a little to the side to see a man walking toward them without her vision being obstructed by Alex’s shoulder.  
  
J’onn closed his eyes while both women froze, the sight of one of the most hateful man making them almost sick to their stomach.  
_Fired ?_ How could this be ? Kara’s and Alex’s mind were swirling with questions, wondering what right did he have to decide that or even be _here._

Kara moved first and put her hand against the transparent wall separating her from her sister. “Alex…” she breathed out, angry at being confined in the cell and scared for the brunette that didn’t have anything to shield her from the man.  
  
During the time it took for the information to get to her brain, Alex already thought about how it’d feel to erase the smug smile off of the man standing before her, all tall and hands behind his back like he owned the place. But she kept her stance steady, straight and at attention.  
  
“General Lane.” The tension and restraint were palpable for everyone in the room, and General Lane’s smile only grew.

She kept calm though, and waited for J’onn to intervene and stop him. But he didn’t, just kept his eyes on the floor.  
  
“At ease, Alex,” he almost chuckled, like it was his greatest pleasure to announcer it to her. “You don’t hold the title of Agent anymore, you’re back to being a civilian.” Alex hasn’t moved since he walked in and Kara held off from pounding against the glass as to not aggravate the situation. “We’re also going to keep you in for questioning until you tell us everything you know about Supergirl and… her other self.”  
  
The little relaxation still left in Kara’s body left as the words came out of his vile mouth, and she tensed up to her hair. She also saw Alex clench her fists behind her back, hidden from the little army gathered before them.  
  
“General Lane.” J’onn’ voice came as a warning.

“You have no right !” Kara objected loudly, finally giving in and pounded vociferously and painfully her fist against the thin yet solid layer of glass standing between herself and her family.  
  
And before anyone could intervene, the General spoke again but with much more disdain than before, gaze locked with Kara’s, his upper lip raised in disgust and finger insolently pointing at her. “And you, Supergirl, are arrested.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late updates guys, I'm trying to get back on track ! I hope you enjoyed this chapter though.
> 
> So... _that_ happened. The DEO turns itself against the Danvers. Well, General Lane is anyway, but what is he doing here ?
> 
> As usual, leave comments to share your thoughts or send me a message on my Tumblr : Clarapuce13.


	3. Mission : Possible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello there ! I'm really sorry about the late update, got really tired and other stuff
> 
>  _Anyway_ , hope you enjoy this chapter, I tried to make it as interesting as I could. Crossing my fingers for good feedback !
> 
> Let me know what you thought, and as usual, you can find me on Tumblr : Clarapuce13.

There was a long beat of silence, suddenly broken by Alex’s indignant scoff. “Like hell she is !” she snapped, fists trembling at her side. Her respectful stance was forgotten to give place to a more defensive and aggressive one.

Kara stayed silent behind her, shell-shocked. Everything she feared could happen was actually happening, and her or Alex couldn’t do anything to stop it.

This was it. She was going to Cadmus and Alex was going to be too busy being interrogated to help her. J’onn and Lucy’s hands were tied too. It was over.   
Feeling her knees buckle, she let herself slide down on the ground with slumped shoulders and defeated eyes.

Hearing Kara move behind her, Alex glanced at her and inhaled sharply when she saw the blonde sitting dejectedly on the floor with teary eyes. She rushed to squat as close to the glass as possible, forgetting potential threats behind her.

“J’onn !” she called out for help without a glance, eyes fixed on the blonde. “Kara,” she murmured, trying to bring her mind back as she seemed to have blocked her surroundings in shock, and like before, she put her hand against the cold thick glass in support. “J’onn, you can’t let him do this,” she complained in a rush, glaring at him over her shoulder.

Squaring his shoulders and clenching his jaw, J’onn decided on a safe course of action as General Lane closely watched him. “Agent Danvers, the—”

“It’s  _ Miss  _ Danvers, now,” the General Lane was quick to remind everyone.

Taking a deep breath to keep himself from doing something stupid, J’onn resumed. “Miss Danvers, there is nothing you can do now. You and Supergirl are to follow orders and that’s that. Understood ?”

Mouth agape, the former agent didn’t know whether to be angry or worried about her sister. Well, she could do both. “Under— No, I don’t understand,  _ sir,”  _ she said, upper lip curled up in repulsion. “Supergirl didn’t do anything wrong, she—”

“That’s enough !” The military excuse of a man shouted, face slightly red. “Supergirl hasn’t done anything but ignore law and do anything she wanted. Her reign is over, and yours as her protector is too, Alexandra.”

Okay,  _ now _ he was pushing too far. Luckily, J’onn spoke quickly before she could get the chance to voice her mild disagreement. 

“General, maybe—”

“Do  _ not  _ talk to me, Martian,” Lane practically spat. “The only reason you’re not in a cell with your cape wearing friend is because the President is happy with your work here. It won’t last,” he promised with a dangerous tone, slowly letting his eyes settle on Alex again. “Now, let’s get to it.” 

Snapping his fingers like the entitled jerk he was, he wordlessly commanded with a tilt of his head to move the Danvers sisters.

“General Lane, if I may,” J’onn’s strong but anxious voice interrupted the General’s men’s movements, patiently waiting for orders. Taking his silence for confirmation, J’onn said “Please, leave them a moment. You’re going to get whatever you want from them, so leave them a moment to say goodbye at least.”

It was the closest Alex or Kara ever heard J’onn to beg, and hearing him took Kara back to the present. “J’onn…” she sadly whispered, as much for him as for them; it would indeed be goodbye.

The General looked at them for a moment with a blank expression before looking away. “Fine. You have until we get the Kryptonite emitters ready in the interrogation room,” he warned over his shoulder as he left the room, closely followed by his little army.

Now, the silent room was only filled with a guilty Martian, an angry Human and a sad Kryptonian.

“I’m sorry, girls,” J’onn sighed wearily, eyes glued to the floor. “I can’t do anything to stop him, not when he’s under the President’s orders. Just— be careful on your way to the interrogation room number 13,” he mysteriously added, confusing both women.

And without another word, he turned around and left the room, soundlessly closing the door behind him.

There was a beat of silence then Kara’s voice barely above a whisper. “How did it turn so wrong so fast...”

“Kara.” The strength in Alex’s voice startled Kara and she looked up, seeing the brunette watching her with determined eyes. Eyes that hadn’t given up. “Kara, we’re going to escape.”

The blonde’s eyes widened before her expression turned sad. “Alex, it’s impossible. You helped Winn secure the whole base—”

“Exactly ! I know every security measure, every weakness and every blind spot. I can get us out of here,” she rushed in a whisper, determination turning almost into excitement. “With your help,” she added with certainty, face hopeful and trusting.

A tear slid down Kara’s cheek and she put her hand against Alex’s, trying to feel the warmth through the cold glass. “Alex, that’s what gotten us into this mess in the first place. If we do it again and get caught…” She couldn’t resist the shudder she felt through her whole body at the idea of Alex ending up arrested too. “You’ll be free after the interrogation. Join the police, work in a lab… You have choices, your life isn’t over after this.”

And even if it pained her to say so, everything Kara said was true. She did hope Alex would return to a normal life. Only her career as a DEO agent was over, not her life. She’d miss her, though. So much.

The squeaking noise Alex’s hand made as she strained her fingers as if she wanted to grip the glass in her fist cause Kara to look up once again.

“Kara, I’m  _ not _ leaving you here. I don’t want a normal life if you aren’t in it. Do it for me, if you won’t do it for you, do it for me,” she pleaded, her breathing now quicker as she saw the possibility of Kara not agreeing to follow her.

More tears followed the first one on Kara’s cheeks and as she inhaled to reply, a tiny  _ bip  _  was heard and the cold feeling under the palm of her hand disappeared as she lost footing. With the glass door separating her from Alex now gone, she felt herself falling forward into the arms of her sister. How fitting.

Startled, Alex’s strangled cry was interrupted by Kara’s weight falling on her and she fell backward, arms full of blonde hair and blue eyes.  _ “Oof,”  _ she breathed out as her back hit the ground, feeling the air forced out of her lungs.

Putting both of her hands on each side of Alex’s head, Kara propped herself up and expected to see General Lane and his minions walk back into the room to take her away but instead she saw nothing. Alex laid under Kara with wide eyes, barely breathing so she could hear any noise but she heard nothing.   
They stayed like that for a long moment, waiting to be taken away, but they eventually started breathing and moving again, not wanting to waste this unexpected and most likely limited freedom.

Alex sit up, Kara following her by just sitting on her lap, and took Kara in her arms like she wanted to do for what felt like an eternity. Sliding her arms around Alex’s waist, the blonde hid her face in the crook of the former agent’s neck and inhaled shakily, hold tightening minutely as she felt relief wash over her entire body.   
The brunette squeezed back, cheek against Kara’s head and hand not stopping stroking long blonde hair.

They both wanted to stay that way for as long as possible, but eventually had to break apart.

“What happened ?” Kara asked in a scared and uncertain whisper, glancing back to her cell which was now open.

Hands on Kara’s hips, automatically holding her there when she sit up, Alex looked around and noticed something. She pursed her lips but eventually let the smile take over. “I get a feeling J’onn’s still on our side.”

“Of course he—” Kara started saying, but stopped when she looked back at Alex and saw her look behind her. “Oh,” she breathed and smiled too, the weight in her stomach lessening as she spotted the door minutely ajar.

“See ?” Alex excitedly whispered as she instinctively held the blonde tighter, eyes back on Kara. “He also thinks we should make a run for it. Let’s do it. What do we have to lose ?”

Still looking at the exit door, Kara’s eyebrows furrowed in worry. “I don’t know, Alex…”

“I’m not letting them take you, Kara.”

Blue eyes met brown ones. “Alex—”

“Over my dead body,”  Alex insisted, eyes looking like they were made of steel and burning at the same time. She was telling the truth.

Kara closed her eyes and sighed. “Fine.”

Just as the word left Kara’s mouth, Alex quickly kissed her on the cheek and, thanks to J’onn’s harsh training, lifted Kara was her as she got up. Before Kara could react, Alex was already taking her hand and pulling her toward the exit.

As if sensing the blonde’s hesitation just through touch, Alex looked back and reassuringly smiled. “Come on, we don’t have much time.”

Nodding, Kara quietly followed her until Alex’s cheek was against the door, peeking through the tiny opening to check if the coast was clear. When the silence stretched again, Kara became antsy again. 

“So ?” she asked in a whisper, trying to peek above Alex’s head as her powers hadn’t yet returned.  _ Darn Kryptonite.  _

After a beat of silence, Alex looked away from the door and into Kara’s eyes. “We have to go get her.”

And Kara almost whined right there, but reined it in in favor of glaring at the source of her frustration.  _ “Why ?” _

And the way Alex fought to not roll her eyes made Kara want to roll hers. “Because she knows too much about you, it’s too dangerous. Plus, would you really be willing to leave an innocent be taken by our dear General Lane ?”

Alex had a point. As much as it annoyed her, this other her was apparently only guilty of lurking around Alex, but nothing more. Yet.   
Groaning, the blonde let her head fall backward as she looked at the ceiling in an attempt of calming down and not just taking Alex without her consent and escape right there. 

“Fine,” she hissed and gently pushed the brunette aside to take a look outside. It seemed like they could escape if they planned their timing carefully. “But how do we know where she is ? I don’t have my x-ray vision… yet.”

Alex smirked and playfully bumped her shoulder against Kara’s. “That’s another gift Space Dad left us,” she whispered conspiratorially.

Deciding to skip tormenting her sister for calling J’onn the only nickname she swore she’d never use, Kara pursed her lips to hide her smile and focused on the important information. “What’s that ?”

“He told us to be careful on our way to interrogation room 13. He wouldn’t have known where we were going to be interrogated yet because Lane wasn’t done preparing, so I think that’s where this other you is.”

“That makes sense.” 

With a worried glance, Alex fidgeted with her fingers. “How do you feel ?”

This time Kara didn’t fight the urge to roll her eyes. “This is not the time to talk about our feelings, Alex, even if I’m really proud you want to.”

Alex’s amused smile lit her whole face up, even in this dark and somber room. “I’m talking about your powers, you goofer !” she lowly chuckled, putting her hand over her mouth to lower the noise of her mocking.

Mouth agape in affront, Kara huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s real mature, mocking me in this situation !” And sneakily she tried to hover a little to check her powers while Alex was too busy snickering and the alien smiled smugly. One instant she was still, and the next she had Alex on her butt in retaliation. “And my powers are fine, thank you for asking.”

The former agent’s surprised gasp was drowned out by Kara’s giggles which she quickly stopped by slapping both of her hands roughly against her mouth with a loud noise, eyes wide and suddenly quiet as she listened if anyone heard them.

Clenching her jaw to stop the mean retort from leaking out, Alex made a disgruntled face at Kara. But as the blonde rolled her lips in to hide a smile, Alex couldn’t stop herself from muttering “Who’s mature now ?” as she glowered at her before looking out again. “Okay, we can actually make a run for it with your powers.”

“Sorry,” she sheepishly whispered, a small smile still tugging at her lips as she placed herself behind Alex. “So, where’s the the room 13 ?”

Still watching as agents came and went in the hallway, Alex sighed. “It’s not the most accessible room…” she admitted without looking at the blonde. “They chose it for a reason. It’s underground, so my guess is that they’re trying to do anything possible to make her powerless. It’s not going to be easy,” she warned as she turned to look at Kara. “It’s—”

“We’ll see when we get there,” Kara rushed to whisper, attention focused on something outside the room. “I think we need to go.  _ Now. _ ”

“Shit…” the brunette whispered back, listening as several footsteps echoed in the hallway along with Lane’s annoying voice telling his men to be prepared for anything. 

Gripping Alex’s shoulder, Kara’s worried gaze pierced through Alex’s. “Alex, it’s too late. I’ll just get back in the ce—”

_ “No,”  _ Alex was quick to disagree, determined to let Kara live her life free. “No, we’ll just—”

“General Lane !” a new feminine voice rang out in the hallway and both sisters heard the footsteps stop.

Slowly, a big smile appeared on the blonde’s face. “Lucy !” excitedly whispered Kara, fear momentarily forgotten. 

“Is it a coincidence or…?” Alex asked uncertainly, eyes squinted as she tried to make out what they were saying but no such luck. She did have a human, well,  _ alien  _ listening device just next to her though.

Kara listened for a few seconds, waiting to be sure before answering. “No,” she said, her smile slowly widening. “She’s diverting their attention. Alex, we need to go now.”

Nodding seriously, Alex followed her sister as she pulled the door open and carefully walked crouched and hoped to god no one would see them like that because it was bound to look ridiculous.    
They just needed to get to the end of the hallway before the General and his men turned around, but Lucy seemed to have the situation under control. 

But just as they were going to round the corner and be safe from the threat, she caught Lucy’s gaze and she could have sworn she saw a corner of her lips quip up minutely before the base’s Director schooled her expression back into a mask of seriousness and professionalism.   
Even if humiliated, she still owed her their lives so she gratefully nodded as Kara, a little less subtly, largely waved her appreciation with a big smile before quickly hiding in another hallway.

“Lucy’s the best !” the blonde practically squealed, cheeks pink and quietly jumping in excitement. 

“Yeah, yeah. She’s amazing,” Alex unhappily muttered under her breath as she looked around. “Come on, she won’t be able to hold them back much longer.”

Grimacing at her sister’s lack of excitement for the whole thing, Kara wordlessly followed her until they hit an obstacle. 

“Darn, how are we supposed to go past them without being seen or without knocking them out ?” the Kryptonian wondered out loud, looking at the heavily staircase heading underground.

“I’m—”

Just then, Winn walked to the guard and talked to them, tilting his head in the opposite direction of where both women were hiding. The agents gravely nodded and walked off while Winn just stood there, watching them leave. Once they were out of sight, the man’s eyes found theirs and he gave them a quick  _ come here  _ gesture with his hand before looking around once more, always on the lookout. 

Trusting her best friend as he already helped them escape before, Alex and Kara quickly joined him at the top of the stairs, ready to bombard him with a million questions but were quickly cut off by his voice.

“Hey, glad you made it ! We weren’t sure you would,” she said in a low voice, eyes still looking around. “Okay, here.” He held out some earpieces and keycards, one for both of them. “They should help you get her out of here, and the earpieces are connected to a private and secure connexion if you ever need something.”

Staring at the earpiece and keycard in her hand as Alex quickly put one in her ear and the other in her pocket, Kara looked up in awe. “Winn…”

Sensing the mood changed, Kara’s best friend looked at her in the eyes for the first time. “It’s really bad out here,” he whispered, clutching his tablet against his chest so he wouldn’t fidget with his fingers. “General Lane being here… It’s the worst case scenario, especially for you.”

Sadly nodding, Kara put the earpiece in her ear and card in a hidden pocket Winn designed in her suit and put her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Winn. For… everything. Really.”

As he squirmed embarrassingly on the spot and was about to write the compliment off, Alex chimed in. “Yeah, thank you buddy,” she gratefully murmured with a small smile. 

She glanced at Kara and realized what all of their friends were capable of doing to keep their kind and strong friend safe and felt a warm smile showing on her face as she just watched the appreciation in Kara’s eyes. She was so happy and grateful to be surrounded by loving friends, who became family, who were ready for anything if it meant protecting Kara.   
She at least knew that if she was ever arrested, Kara wouldn’t be alone.

Winn’s awkward cough pulled her out of her reveries and blinked to see Kara waiting for her with a hand on the railing, watching her with a raised eyebrow. “You coming ?”

Shaking her head a bit to get her mind back in the game, Alex whispered a last “thanks” to Winn and quickly followed Kara down the stairs that lead to the usually guarded hallway where the most specialized and restricted interrogation rooms were; hence why Kara had never been there.

“Okay,” whispered Alex once they reached the last stair and peeked around the corner before looking at Kara. “We have to be fast because guards pass every thirty seconds and we still have to convince her to come with us. I mean, I don’t see why she’d rather stay here but…”

“We never know,” Kara finished her thought with a nod. “Okay, I’ll just super-speed us there and out of there once we’re done.”

“Oka— Oh wait, Kara. She won’t have her powers !” 

Both women froze because they haven’t thought about that. Granted, they hadn’t thought about much as they didn’t have time, but now that it occurred to her it made them both pause before Kara carelessly shrugged.

“I’ll just carry both of you out, then.”

Alex sighed as she passed her hand through her hair. “Kara, I don’t think it’ll be that easy. Kryptonian have heavier body mass, that’s why you had trouble fighting Kal. Not just because he’s as strong as you, but also because he’s as heavy as you.”

They both remembered clearly how difficult it had been avoiding putting Kara through mandatory doctors appointments where they usually weighed their patients, how Eliza had to fake a doctor diploma as she was a scientist, not a generalist. 

Glancing toward the hallway, Kara shook her head. “But we don’t know if she’s Kryptonian,” she weakly argued, eyes glued most likely to room 13.

Alex sighed again and took Kara’s hands, their joined one hanging between them as Kara looked back at her sister. “It’s true, we don’t. But whether she’s from there or not, I do know you share the same abilities, the same memories… It’s not that crazy she’d share your body mass, I’d even say that I’m sure she does. Otherwise I don’t think she’d still be alive, or at least healthy, if she used her powers before.”

It was true. Kara’s physique helped her control her powers and made her resistant to their side-effects. Alex’s theory was logical and most likely right, though it didn’t mean Kara was quite ready to accept just how alike she was with her double. 

Looking down at their hands, the blonde held Alex’s a little tighter. “Well, you weigh nothing to me, so it’ll be like I’m carrying just one person. Surely I can do that.”

“I know you can,” she brunette said with a smile. “And don’t call me Shirley.” Kara pursed her lips hard to contain her chuckle, but a smile still tugged at her closed lips and she shook her head as her eyes twinkled with mirth. “No ? Not funny ?” asked Alex with a smile of her own, happy to have made her sister at least smile in this difficult and sad day. “I don’t know where I’ve gotten all those lame references,  _ surely  _ not from you and your lame movies you make me watch all the time,” she teased as she squeezed the blonde’s hands back before glancing behind her and putting her game face back on. “Okay, are you ready ?”

The alien’s smile lingered on but so her was seriousness and she wordlessly nodded. “So, which one is it ?” she asked as she saw a guard come by and wait by one of the many doors with his gun in his hands.

Alex’s eyes found the ceiling as she tried to remember where the room was, and as she mentally listed all the numbered room, her eyes lit up in remembrance before it dimmed again. “Sick bastard,” she grumbled as she pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes now closed. 

“What is it ?” 

Kara’s worried tone caused Alex to look up, ready to comfort her, ready to reassure her; but she couldn’t, not this time. 

“I didn’t remember until now, but I understand why he chose this particular room,” she somberly admitted with a grim look, not unlike the one she used to tell scary stories when they were younger as they sat in the dark, Jeremiah’s old flashlight illuminating Alex’s face from below.

The blonde felt her heart pounding loudly in her chest, in her ears, everywhere, and she sucked in a shaky breath. “Why ?” she whispered, voice slightly trembling as fear leaked through her lips.

Looking straight into Kara’s eyes, Alex’s eyebrows pinched together and her very own Crinkled made its appearance. “That’s where they used to do experiments, back when Henshaw was still running this place,” she confessed in a tense whisper, her tense muscles shaking with thinly hidden rage. 

_ “Oh,”  _ Kara breathed out, gaze automatically drawn to the hallway even if she didn’t know where the room was. “You don’t think—”

“Let’s not go there,” Alex fiercely cut her off, her hands leaving Kara’s to hold her face instead, a better way to get her attention. “We don’t know what they’ve done yet, so let’s not think of the worst until we know for sure. Okay ?”

Kara sadly nodded without meeting Alex’s eyes, too focused on her own worried to try and calm Alex’s. But Alex knew, and today wasn’t about her and her fears; it was about Kara and her past, about the last daughter of Krypton and her lookalike showing up and stirring all those old and buried emotions and fears. And Alex wouldn’t let Kara down, won’t let her go through this alone.   
So she gently pulled Kara’s head toward her and rested her forehead against hers, eyes closed as Kara tried to regulate her breathing while listening to Alex’s steady one, a technique they used since the beginning. 

“Ready ?” Alex whispered after a moment, wanting to give Kara time but also knowing they didn’t have any more. 

Looking up, blue eyes finally met bown, determined ones and it gave her strength. She wasn’t alone. So she squared her shoulders, put her hands on Alex’s, and nodded. 

“Yeah, let’s go. And we’ll treat your wound as soon as we’re out of here.”

Shaking her head with a smile at Kara’s worry, Alex put a strand of hair behind the blonde’s ear and dropped her hands. “Okay. So the room is the farthest,” she explained. “The hallway is squared shaped and the rooms are on this inside of this square. Room 13 is at the opposite of here, but I think we have a shot if we get out of here as soon as we have her.”

Kara was intently listening to Alex’s instructions and nodded as she talked, her focus on nothing but their rescue mission. She squinted as she x-rayed the rooms and her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Yeah,” Alex sighed. “They’re—”

“Lead-lined,” grumbled Kara. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said as she rolled her eyes at her own naivety. “It doesn’t matter, there’s no time to waste,” she declared with a new fire in her words, in her stance. “Come on, hop on,” the blonde whispered as she bent her legs a little and arms stretched behind her back to hold Alex.

The brunette scoffed as her eyebrows shot up. “I’m not—”

_ “Alex,”  _ Kara all but whined, glancing back to catch her sister’s eyes. “We don’t have time and this is the easiest way, you know that.”

Clenching her jaw to stop herself from arguing, Alex still grumbled unintelligibly under her breath as she hopped on Kara’s back and the latter caught her by the thighs and the former agent’s legs automatically locked around Kara’s waist.   
Taking a deep breath, Kara peeked around the corner before super-speeding to the next corner. Seeing as no one was there, she did the same thing again and carefully let Alex down from her back as she looked and saw that no one was guarding any of the rooms.

“That’s weird,” Alex mumbled, frowning as she looked over Kara’s shoulder to see the empty hallway before passing past the blonde, steps light in the quiet space. She carefully put her hand on the handle and found the room unlocked as the handle lowered with her hand. “Weird,” she whispered again, trying to make sense of the situation before being gently pushed away by her sister. 

“I don’t like this,” Kara stated seriously, one hand on Alex’s arm to keep her away from the door and the other on the handle. 

And before Alex could protest, Kara pushed the door open and was immediately on her knees as the strong Kryptonite emitters reached her by surprise.   
Alex was already next to her the next second and was about to be shot when Kara leaped forward with a pained grunt and pushed the armed agent on the ground, her arms around his waist. With the agent down, Alex could now see the room and spotted only another occupant, currently panting painfully on the floor as she watched the action playing before her. 

Hurrying up to help Kara, Alex rushed to kick the gun from the man’s hand but was then threw off balance as the agent kicked her legs from under her. She felt the air leave her lungs at the impact of her back hitting the ground hard, coughing the pain away as she struggled to get up.   
But once standing, she saw the man raising his arm with a knife in her fist and Alex was too slow to stop her from stabbing Kara in her arm as the blonde raised her own to protect herself.

Alex saw red and she rushed to assist Kara, but not before punching the agent so hard his eyes rolled back and found himself unconscious as he fell backward, head hitting the floor with a loud noise. 

Clenching and straightening her fingers to quickly assess the damage as she watched the agent lying motionless on the floor, Alex swiftly crouched next to a hurting Kara, clutching her bleeding arm against her chest.   
Gently touching the hand guarding the bloody one, Alex carefully removed it to inspect the wound. Seeing how deep it was, she flinched a little but kept her cool.

“I’m fine,” Kara forced out, eyes shut as she breathed deeply through her mouth. “It’ll be gone as soon as we leave this room,” she promised as she opened her eyes again, pain but also strength in them.

The brunette proudly smiled and helped Kara stand up before she tore a piece of her shirt to wrap it around Kara’s cut to stop the bleeding and protect it from infection.   
As she looked up into Kara’s eyes to reassure her, she saw her blue eyes widen as a gasp left her lips and Alex’s brain processed the rustling noise behind her. But as she turned around and was about to take her gun out, she remembered she didn’t have it as the DEO took it away from her when her fingers clutched around air instead of the grip.

_ “Shit,”  _ she swore under her breath and at the same time felt Kara’s hand around her arm, ready to get her out of the line of fire as the wounded agent aimed at her. But she knew it was too late either way.

Turning her head to see Kara a last time before going down, Alex didn’t see the agent falling unconscious again after a loud  _ thud  _ echoed in the room. There was a beat of silence as the sisters stared at each other with wide eyes before they both looked at where the man had been standing just a few seconds ago and met another pair of blue eyes.

“Kara.” 

The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it and she felt Kara’s hand holding her arm tighter as her muscles tensed. She didn’t mean to use Kara’s name to call out her double’s but she couldn’t help it, they looked too alike and her brain was confused. Especially after being almost killed along with her sister.

Kara’s hand pulled her away from her lookalike and positioned her behind herself in a defensive gesture; even though they were there to rescue her.

Kara’s double looked like she’d been through hell, but maybe the Kryptonite emitters alone were enough to weaken her that much. She was sweating, blonde hair sticking to her face, and the hand that held the pipe used to knock the agent down was visibly shaking, straining to keep her fingers locked around it.   
Her eyes betrayed her mistrust as she watched the Danvers warily, muscles still taut even though the danger was actually bleeding all over the floor now.

After a disturbing long moment of silence, Kara slowly raised her hands to show she didn’t mean any harm. “We’re just here to help you.”

But the Russian sneered at her, chin raised as she gripped the metal pipe harder. “Lies. You left me here and they are not as nice as Russian military,” she accused.

The room was full of tense energy, Kara slowly feeling more and more the Kryptonite in her system as time went by, and everyone was breathing heavily after the fight.   
Beginning to worry about Kara, Alex stepped in and put the blonde’s arm around her shoulder to help her stand; Kara was hiding her weakness as well as her double, but it didn’t mean she didn’t need her sister. The alien shot her a grateful look before intently watching the blonde standing in front of her.

“We were also imprisoned,” Alex patiently informed her, eyes honest and face open. She quickly glanced back to make sure they were still alone before looking back at this other woman wearing her sister’s face. “We broke out and thought you could use some help,” she said with a small grin, eyebrow raised as she looked at the foreigner’s bleeding hands. “We don’t have much time, though. We have to leave.  _ Now.”  _

Tightening her hold around Alex’s shoulders, Kara stood to her full height and looked quite frightening with her bloody suit and hard stare. “You want to rot in this place ? Be my guest, Alex and I can easily get by without you, but I don’t think I can say the same about you.”

After interacting with her a few times, Kara thought the best course of action was being a tad aggressive. And it seemed to work as this other Kara’s hand began relaxing until the metal bar fell with a loud  _ clang  _ and she straightened up, no longer in a combative stance.

“How are we going to get out of here ?” she tiredly asked in her thick accent, eyes watching the room where she’s been imprisoned. 

Kara and Alex shared a worried look before the brunette took the lead. “We got help to get here. We’re hoping they’ll also be able to help us get out. But we need to move right now,” she warned, already pulling Kara with her as she walked toward the exit without waiting for the blonde’s answer. “How’s your arm ?” Alex asked in a whisper as she peeked around the corner of the door, making sure the hallway was still empty.

Kara’s breathing was ragged but she just had to hold on until the Kryptonite emitters would lose their effects with the distance. “Let’s just get out of here,” Kara panted back, avoiding the question even though it said enough for Alex to pick up the pace. 

“And how are we supposed to leave if they have green substance to weaken us ?” the other blonde asked with an annoyed tone but the sisters detected a hint of fear behind her tough disguise. 

Alex glanced at Kara before answering. “It’s okay, once we’re far enough you should be free of its effect.”

“Yeah,” the blonde breathed, raising her hand to get her hair out of her face before wincing because she forgot about her cut for a second. “So let’s go.”

The fight plus her wound, plus the Kryptonite and the stress of the situation was starting to get to Kara, and all she wanted was to be in a safe place so her and Alex could rest. And her other self too, if she had no other choice.

So followed by the thick accented woman, they made their way out of the room. Slowly, quietly, they walked the hallway, stopping at each corner to make sure no one was there to ambush them, until they finally reached the bottom of the stairs.    
Sweating from their previous encounter, Kara gritted her teeth and tightened her hold on Alex as they walked up, every now and then glancing backward to check the blonde was still following them. 

As the reached the end of the stairs, they made themselves even quieter and paused, trying to see if the guards came back or if Winn finally got better at lying and diverting the attention.   
To their surprised, Winn was fidgeting as he waited for them at the top of the staircase, nervously looking around.

When they finally emerged from their suicide mission, Winn’s face lit up before quickly turning into a frown as he noticed Kara clutching her bleeding arm to her chest.

“What happened ?” he frantically asked in a whisper, immediately approaching the wounded blonde to check her arm.

“It’s fine, it’s just a cut,” Kara quickly reassured him with a smile. “Turns out the DEO weren’t planning on just interrogating her,” she explained with a scowl, thinking back to what they stumbled upon when she opened that door.

Not knowing if he should be worried about Kara’s double or relieved they made it out alive, Winn awkwardly sent a quick smile to Kara’s lookalike before swiftly and carefully engulfing Kara and Alex into a short but tight hug.    
It was crazy to see someone looking so much like Kara but behaving nothing like her. Kara’s double was wearing a mask of seriousness and distrust, pose threatening as she looked around for possible threats.    
But Winn found that it wasn’t the craziest thing he ever saw since he started at the DEO. After all, J’onn already took Kara’s appearance  _ twice,  _ and he once saw Kara talking to him through an hologram of her supposedly dead mother.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” he sighed with a smile, head between Alex and Kara’s, before letting them go. “Okay, so it should be okay for you to go this way,” he stated as he pointed to another hallway to his right, eyes on his tablet once again. “You have two minutes until—”

“They switch guards and we’ll be caught,” Alex finished for him with a tight nod, also looking around to make sure no one was near. “I think I know where to go from there.”

“Right,” Winn mumbled, scratching his cheek as a nervous tick because he forgot Alex also knew this place inside and out. “Anyway, J’onn should have made sure the hub is clear of  _ unhelpful  _ people when you get there,” he said with a pointed look, the message clear. Lane’s people and distrustful DEO agents won’t be there to intercept their escape.

“Thank you,” Kara said with a smile while distractedly moving her arm to see if she was healing. Finding it a lot less painful than just mere seconds ago, her optimism for this suicide mission went up and she renamed the mission  _ : possible.  _

Winn waved her thanks away and his eyes found Kara’s double. Taking all his courage and strength at the same time as his deep breath, his face turned all serious and he took a step toward the blonde. 

“Don’t even think of crossing them, because you’ll then have the  _ whole  _ DEO after you. And trust me, J’onn, Lucy and I are way worse than all the other agents combined.”

If his threat surprised,  _ shocked,  _ the Danvers sisters, the Russian woman stayed stone-faced as her gaze was locked on Winn’s. The silence went on during their staring contest until, finally, Kara’s lookalike nodded imperceptibly but enough for Winn, who was closely watching her, to notice.   
With a pleased expression, he took a step back and looked back at the sisters to find them watching him with raised eyebrows and mouths agape.

“What ?” he mumbled with a shrug, embarrassed as she looked down at his tablet and typed something. “You’re good to do in 15 seconds, get ready,” he warned them before briefly squeezing Kara’s shoulder. “Remember, I’ll be on comms if you need anything.”

And just like that, he took off, walking quickly and suspiciously and the sisters wondered how he hadn’t be found out during their rescue mission.

Taking her good arm off Alex, Kara stretched her wounded one and smiled when she no longer felt pain. Alex took her bandage off to inspect the wound and found it completely healed, skin as smooth as before.    
She smiled at the blonde before looking at the  _ other  _ blonde. Her eyes were still distrustful, on guard, but there was also something resembling hope in there, hiding behind the darkness and anger. 

“Okay, we have to go right now,” Alex whispered and she silently ran to the hallway Winn showed them earlier.

The Kryptonians followed her, steps as light as Alex’s, and crouched a little when their heard noises at the end of the hallway. Alex stopped and stretched her arm out to the side, stopping her followers, and waited as she listened.    
A few seconds later, the guard talking to the one taking over his shift walked away as the other one began his rounds.

The brunette waved the blondes to follow her as she resumed her quick but quiet pace, waiting at the corner for the guard to turn so they could continue their escape.   
It went on like that for a few hallways, minutes that felt like hours because they lives just might depend on the success of this mission, and nerves were at their highest as time past. It felt like if something happened, they might just snap because of the tension they felt. It was dangerous and they had to be careful, so they swallowed their fear back in order to let their hope shine through, guiding them toward the exit.

Finally reaching the end of the last hallway, they had eyes on the hub but were hidden enough not to be seen unless someone walked really close by. And that’s just what happened.    
As they fully crouched to take a breath while waiting, steps echoed next to them and a big shadow looming over them as they had no time to react. Just as Kara tensed and her double immediately got up, ready to strike, the tall figure put his palm toward them, a sign of silence, as the shadow kept its back to them. 

Looking up and recognizing the figure, Kara relaxed and lowered her other self’ fists with a hard look, making her understand the situation.   
As J’onn walked away without a glance, the trio stayed on their guard, eyes sharp and ears open; prepared to bolt at any moment’s notice. Or, well, any J’onn’s notice. 

They saw him approach a new recruit and talk to her as she stood tall, arms behind her back when listening to J’onn talk. After a short command, the agent nodded and walked away to the opposite direction where the fugitives were hiding.    
Keeping his back to them, hands behind it, but his eyes on other agents, J’onn made a small sigh with his fingers to signal them the coast was clear.

Just as they got up, ready to run, a shrilling alarm rang and the Kryptonians slapped their hands against their ears with clenched jaws and eyes shut.   
Panicked, Alex looked at Kara with wide, fearful eyes and gently put her hands on the blonde’s. Carefully removing them from her head and seeing Kara open her eyes a little, Alex glanced toward the exit for a second.

“That’s the alarm for missing prisoners,” Alex informed her, sending a worried look toward the other blonde. “The gate will close at any second, we have to go, Kara.  _ Now.”  _

Shutting her eyes shut one last time, Kara opened them again and determinedly nodded and swiftly scooped Alex up in her arms like a princess, panting as the loud noise felt like holes drilled into her brain.   
Alex forcefully took one of Kara’s double’s arm in her hand, removing it from her ear as she did with Kara, and took advantage of her murderous look to urgently tilt her head toward the exit. Understanding flashed through her pained eyes and she, too, wordlessly nodded.

Ready to go, peeking around the corner to check for any unwelcome newcomers, the three of them watched with horror as a thick and heavy door began rolling down to close the balcony’s exit.    
Quickly pushing Alex’s face into the crook of her neck and keeping her hand to hold her down, Kara super-sped like crazy to try and make it before the door closed. It was quick though, and she had a human in her arms that couldn’t withstand too much force and too much speed.

The door was almost there but she looked back to check her double was still following her and saw her one knee on the ground, hands next to it as she tried to stand but couldn’t as her limbs shook.   
She couldn’t blame her. The noise was enough to make her own knees buckle and she didn’t know what happened to her before they rescued her.

Putting all of her faith in her powers, Kara grunted loudly over the alarm as she took the Russian around the waist, holding Alex only under her arms now, and screamed as she strained her muscles to make it.

She screamed as J’onn looked at them with wide eyes, ready to jump in. She sweated as she heard gunshots behind her, Lane and his men finally having caught up to them. She felt tears on her face as she shielded Alex’s body with her own, feeling the bullets burn on her skin,  _ in  _ her flesh. She gasped as she felt the door on her feet, her whole body out but her last limb. She sighed as the thick metal door closed with a loud echo through several blocks; sighed as finally smelled fresh air, finally free.

And she whimpered as she felt her strength leave her body, her muscle involuntarily relax as she held on to consciousness but to no avail. And she cried as she heard Alex scream, breath hot and rugged on the skin of her neck, feeling the former agent’s body slip from her hold.

And she thought she cried out when she hit something hard, mind too hazy to think about anything else but the pain. But she wasn’t sure, as she felt nothing now, saw nothing and heard nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know... I won't say I'm sorry, I'm trying to own it now.
> 
> Also, I thought it would be 4 chapters long because I planned everything I wanted to happen in every chapter, but 4 scenes in and it was already like 4000 words. And 19 scenes (that I planned to write in this chapter) were left, it would have been like a 20 000 words chapter. So I decided to prolong the fic a little, cause I write way too much (sorry).
> 
> Until next time ! :)


	4. Relocation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments right after the last chapter was posted, it meant so much that you're reading and invested in this fic. So really, thank you all !
> 
> I know I took my time for this one, but it's quite long so hopefully you won't be as mad. Enjoy !

The fall of an unconscious and heavy Kryptonian was fast, but not as much as a speeding one pushing herself to the limit. After having thrown Alex a little higher to save time, Kara’s copy sped as fast as she could to catch the woman bleeding in her Supergirl suit.

She made it just in the nick of time as her feet were already in the crater created by her speed when her arms finally caught a limp body. The impact of two almost invulnerable bodies made a sound so loud it shattered windows over three blocks and made people cringe in surprise, but Kara didn’t even stir. Which was worrying.

After saving the original, the replica swiftly took off and grabbed Alex again before she could even fall down from being thrown and completely ignored her complaints; they didn’t last as she quickly saw the state her foster sister was in.

“Kara…” Alex breathed, eyes only on the unconscious blonde lying before her.

Kara’s copy watched her for a few seconds before her own eyes glanced at the closed DEO’s door. “What now ?” she asked nervously in her thick accent.

Alex’s gaze snapped up then followed the blonde’s, squinting with rage and fear when she realized what she was looking at. “Now we run.” She waited for the other Kara to look at her to continue. “Let’s go to Kara’s, try to get some clothes. She can’t stay like that.” Like she was sure she’d need civilian clothes. Like she was sure her body was going to survive so much trauma. “But we should hurry, and stay high in the sky in case they’re a step ahead.”

Kara’s lookalike nodded seriously and went up enough not to be seen. She began her journey to Kara’s apartment, Alex’s attention always on Supergirl, and the silence was tense until they reached their destination.  
As Alex feared, the place crawled with DEO agents. They looked like civilians to normal people, but she knew how to recognize agents, even knew some of them. The man pretending to drink his coffee and wait for a car was glancing at Kara’s apartment window every five seconds; the woman sitting on the building’s stairs outside was staring at the sky, obviously assigned to find them if they ever decided to come.

But they thought ahead and the three foster sisters were high enough not to be detected by human eyes. Alex reigned in a groan and sighed instead.

“We can check out my place just in case, although I don’t think it’s going to be any better.”

So they went, and Alex was right again. Same pattern, same deception.

“Do want me to take care of them ?” Kara’s lookalike asked, face devoid of any emotion even if the brunette knew the blonde was raging inside, ready to kill them all for her personal vengeance. Which she understood.

But Alex shook her head before looking down at Kara again, a hand on the blonde’s bleeding cheek. “No, we have to get Kara to safety first. That’s our priority for now.” She waited until the woman reluctantly nodded. “I know where we could go. It’s not comfortable or anything but it’ll be safe for now.”

And the blonde followed Alex’s directions until they reached an abandoned warehouse. The walls were crumbling, holes filtering the sunlight inside and dust everywhere. But it was empty and far from the city or any house. As Alex said, it was safe.

The woman carefully flew down until she could help Alex down and let the brunette ever so gently take care of her sister. Without having anywhere else better to lay her down on, Alex put Kara down on the floor with great care so she could finally check her wounds.

She suspected it wasn’t nothing as she lost consciousness, but she didn’t know just how much she protected them from before fleeing the DEO.  
Her gasp echoed loudly in the big empty warehouse when her eyes spotted the bullets wounds, so many a human would never had survived it to begin with, let alone carry two people through a closing door.

Kara’s lookalike was at her side within the second and looked down. After a few seconds of inspecting Kara’s body as Alex’s trembling hand was at her mouth in horror, the woman shrugged.

“She’ll be fine,” she nonchalantly assured.

Alex frowned and her eyes immediately found guarded blue ones. “How would you know that ?”

The blonde shrugged again and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away. “I just know.” Her tone was light yet reassuring, but Alex knew better. She knew better than anyone what it sounded like when someone was trying to lie about the importance of something, about the pain behind it. So she trusted her. For now.

“Thank you,” she murmured, gaze looking down once more at Kara’s face as if she was only sleeping.

The blonde’s brows wrinkled at Alex’s loving expression but said nothing more about the subject. Instead, she decided to talk about something else. “How did you know to come here ?”

Alex slipped a strand of blonde hair behind Kara’s ear before shrugging with one shoulder and a smirk. “We had a mission here some time ago. We can’t let civilians know just how much is going on with aliens if we want peace. It’s sad, but that’s the only way.”

“It’s lying.” The blonde’s tone was harsh, aggressive and stated a fact.

“It’s protecting,” Alex immediately defended, then paused when she looked at the woman’s stance. “Like I’m protecting Kara, even from you if I need to.”

And just like that, like a switch being flipped, Kara’s clone forgot who saved her from the torture she went through at the DEO just because Alex challenged her strength, something she was so confident about because she spent months perfecting it within the Russian military. So she didn’t have a choice but to prove her worth, prove her strength and training, like she was taught.  
It didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Alex, a human, was willing to go against a Kryptonian to defend another one whom she apparently loved and would do anything to help.

So she took a step forward, childishly accepting the challenge. And so Alex got up, carefully stepping between the two Kryptonians, and straightened her spine in anticipation.

“You really think you can win against me ?” the woman asked in her thick accent, not even trying to lessen it like she did until now. Not even trying to hide her ferocity.

And Alex raised her chin, proud and confident. “And you really think I won’t do anything for Kara ?”

And as Alex reached for the gun she forgot once again she didn’t have, the blonde swiftly grabbed her wrist and the brunette hissed at the pain. But before the ex agent could do anything, the pressure disappeared from her limb and a warm presence was against her back in an instant.

“Touch her again and lose your arm,” Kara threatened, the dried blood contrasting the strength and fire in her blue eyes.

Alex gasped at her sister appearance, unable to hide her surprise and joy upon seeing Kara standing and _awake._ It felt like weeks since she last saw those blue eyes, so different from her copy’s. So open and welcoming.  
The hero’s hand trembled around her other self but the latter said nothing, respecting Kara’s strength and devotion to this _Alex_ so deep rooted she felt her pain even through her unconsciousness.

But she was still herself, conditioned to fight and attack. “You don’t get to tell me what to do,” she said with a monotonic tone as she slipped her hand from Kara’s hold.

“And you don’t get to threaten people I love,” the blonde immediately bit back, now standing in front of Alex in a defensive gesture.

There was a long standoff, Alex anxiously waiting behind Kara for one of them to break the silence, but eventually sighed and walked back in front of her sister against the woman’s wordless protests.

“Okay, this is ridiculous.”

Kara’s head snapped toward her with wide eyes. _“Ridic—”_

“Yes, _ridiculous,”_ she said with a pointed look at Kara before glaring at the other blonde. “No one is here to tell anyone what to do. We’re here because the DEO is after us, thanks to General Lane, and because we like being alive. So I’d suggest letting our overflowing egos to the front door and just try to help each other out so we can make it out alive and hopefully _free.”_

She knew freedom was something important for the Russian woman if her ask for help to flee the Russian military was anything to go by. Of course, Kara and herself also valued their freedom, so it was a no brainer on this one.

Kara clenched her jaw to stop herself from snapping and looked down, trying to remember why they went to meet and then free her copy in the first place. And as always, the answer was _Alex._

“Fine…” Kara muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest, stubborn but not enough to disagree with Alex over something like this.

With a satisfied nod to the blonde, Alex defiantly raised her chin once more at the other blonde. “What about you ?”

The clone stayed silent for a moment, watching the two sisters, until she eventually sighed and let her arms limp at her side as she capitulated. “Fine.”

“Great !” Alex exclaimed in an fake cheerful voice, clapping her hands together once, but the strain on her smile obvious. “Now, _you”,_ she said in a accusatory tone with a finger pointed at Kara, but her apparent anger was suddenly replaced by worry as her eyebrows pinched together and her eyes started shimmering. She took the blonde’s face between her hands and let them slip down her shoulders and arms as she looked at her body in disbelief. “Are you okay ?” she shakily whispered, lower lip wobbling but biting it to hide her weakness.

“I’m okay,” Kara whispered back, hands holding Alex’s elbows as the brunette now held hers. “Somehow.”

“You—” Alex shook her head, dark hair falling before her face and hiding the tears finally falling down. “You weren’t moving, not even with the shock when she caught you…”

And when Alex finally broke down, Kara engulfed her in a warm and tight hug only her knew how to give. “But I am now, moving and alive.” She tightened her hold, usually too tight for humans but perfect for Alex as she once told her. Kara looked up to see her other self watching them, a confused expression on her face, and smiled a bit before mouthing _thank you_ to her savior. The Russian internally scoffed and looked away, deciding to visit the empty warehouse for a while. Kara bit back a smile and gently stroke Alex’s hair. “I’m okay now,” she murmured, trying to soothe the woman’s fears. “We got out.” And then, Alex pushed herself from Kara’s chest, the blonde letting her automatically, and punched the hero in her shoulder, _hard._ “Ow !” she exclaimed with a frown, hand already rubbing the throbbing spot.

“Exactly !” Kara’s confusion must have shown cause Alex pushed her on the same shoulder in anger again, talking too quickly for the blonde to protest again. “You’re hurt ! What were you _thinking,_ putting yourself in front of the bullets like that when you weren’t at full capacity !”

It was less a question and more of an accusation, and Kara _knew_ Alex got angry when she was scared but she couldn’t help herself from being a little angry too in that moment.

“I was thinking about _you !”_ she confessed, exasperated, hands going wild at her side. “I had a chance to survive the bullets. You ? Not so much.” She paused, her eyes going soft at Alex’s wide ones. “I made the decision I knew I wouldn’t regret. We’d have blamed ourselves if we had left— _her,”_ she said with a jerk of her head in the other blonde’s direction after less than a second of hesitation. “And leaving you or letting you get hit wasn’t even an option. I made the better choice for all of us, and would do it again in a heartbeat, you know that.” Alex clenched her jaw because she didn’t have anything to say to that, because _of course_ Kara was right, and that made the latter relax her lips into a teasing smile. “And you would have done the same thing, you big softie,” she said as she nudged her sister.

Alex’s face darkened as she lower her head and tapped Kara’s foot with her own as an unconscious gesture. “I’m not,” she shyly mumbled, Kara quitely snickering until Alex looked up seriously. “But really, don’t do that again, okay ? Push comes to shove, we’re locked up but alive, so _please,_ just—” She had to take a calming breath and close her eyes to keep the panic she could feel coming at bay. Then she felt a smooth hand on her own and she could immediately breathe better with blue eyes looking at her own. “Please, just don’t leave me.”

The request was one most people found simple. _I love you, don’t leave me for her/him. I love you, don’t leave for this work trip._ And so on. But _this_ was not simple. Alex was asking her to choose herself over the person she loved the most, and although she understood why more than anyone the need to keep this person alive, she also wasn’t prepared to trade Alex’s freedom just so she could live.

But she also wanted nothing else but spend her life with Alex, like she’s done until now, and Kryptonians could be selfish at times.

“Okay,” she agreed, pulling Alex back into her arms. “Okay.”

After a loud sniffle and a last squeeze around Kara’s waist, the brunette pulled back and tried to subtly dry her eyes before clearing her throat. “Okay.” She gulped as she looked at Kara’s body, standing but bloody. “I’m going to examine you,” she said with a careful voice, like she was worried that speaking any louder would make her lose it. “Then we’re gonna make a plan.”

Body still brutally aching from all the standing she’s been doing since she woke up, she thought that it was a really good plan. She nodded, looking around until she spotted her mirrored version sitting in a corner, silently watching them.  
She was a little irked by the woman’s behavior, but she guessed she wouldn’t be too different if the roles were reversed.

They still didn’t know where she came from, what was her name, _why_ she was here… It was a mess and Kara wasn’t sure she was in the right state of mind to do anything about it but follow Alex’s instructions.  
So she gave the other blonde what she hoped was a welcoming smile and sat down on an old wooden box, trying hard not to break it when she heard it creak under her weight.

“What are you doing ?”

She looked up from staring at her hands on her lap to find Alex watching her in confusion, which she matched at the question. “I’m… sitting ? So you can examine me ?”

The questions in the blonde’s tone made Alex’s lips twitch but she still rolled her eyes in true Alex fashion. “And how do you expect me to see the bullet wounds if you still have your suit _and_ if you’re sitting ?”

“I…” The question was rhetorical, but Kara found herself trying to navigate through the midst that settled in her mind since her fall to find an answer. And maybe it had nothing to do with the question but with the fact that she couldn’t seem to focus for long, so she felt challenged by her own mind to get her bearing back. “Um…” It wasn’t that simple, though.

“Hey,” came the soft voice she knew so well, wanted to reach out to her but kept her gaze firmly on her hands again in defeat. “Hey, it’s okay,” the brunette rushed to reassure, a silent and incredule chuckle hidden somewhere in her reassurance. “Kara,” she gently called and waited until the blonde sadly looked up, “you just woke up. Your body suffered massive trauma and your mind is just trying to catch up, okay ? It’s alright,” she promised as she took the hero hands in hers, crouching before her sister so their eyes were on the same level. “I’ll make sure you are.”

And how could Kara ever doubt the most intelligent and selfless person she knew ?

“Okay.” It wasn’t really believable so the brunette raised a skeptical eyebrow until Kara cracked a smile, small but real. “Okay,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “Thank you.”

And in true Alex fashion, the ex agent carelessly shrugged like she just didn’t make Kara’s life better when she felt herself slip away. “Why else am I here for ?” she joked with a smirk.

“Assist my heroic self ?” the blonde joked back but with a grimace, going for humor but landing on a shy request as she couldn’t really get up by herself.

The brunette rolled her eyes with a smile. “Obviously,” she sighed dramatically, back of her hand on her forehead, before settling back on a comforting expression. “Come on,” she murmured as she passed her arm under Kara’s (the blonde was still taller than her after all) which was now resting on Alex’s shoulders.

Kara grunted as Alex helped her up, the soreness and pain in her body shooting up at the movement, but gritted her teeth as the true hero she was. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t also human, at least a little bit.

“That freaking hurts.” And humans complained.

Alex breathlessly chuckled and shook her head as she shot her an adoring expression. “No kidding.”

Breathing in through her nose, Kara looked around again. “So, where did you find this place ?” she conversionally asked, trying to take her mind off her pain.

Leading the blonde toward a wall where she could stand but lean back on, Alex shrugged a little like she did with the other woman. “DEO stuff. Alien stuff. We keep locations like that where big operations happened secret until we can clean everything up, hide evidence. It’s so secluded it’s not on the top of the list, so I wouldn’t worry too much about Lane finding out about this.”

Breathing out through her mouth. “Huh, that’s smart.”

Alex scoffed with an offended look and swatted Kara’s shoulder with her free hand. “Please, try not to look so surprised.”

“I’m not !” the blonde quickly defended but then got a sheepish smile on her face. “I mean, I just am because you thought about it so quickly. You’re really amazing…” she sighed with a dreamy look, which she blamed on the fog occupying most of her mind right now and tried to clear with a quick shake of her head. “I just— I never would have thought about it if the roles were reversed. So, see ? It’s good that I was the one getting shot.”

Already in front of the wall, Alex not so gently guided Kara against the wall. “Yeah, so great. Great decision,” she grumbled, not even apologizing for pretty much manhandling Kara against the wall to examine her.

The blonde sighed and held on to Alex’s shoulders for balance. “Glad you’re taking this so well.”

Her eyes were downcast because, deep down, she was ashamed. Not because she thought she made the wrong decision because she definitely made the right one, but because she could see she disappointed Alex.  
Some time ago, the brunette told her she didn’t know what she’d do if she disappointed Kara. Well, now that the roles were reversed, she could feel the anguish and guilt Alex must have felt back then. And it wasn’t pleasant.

“I’m sorry…” The whisper took Kara back to the present and she looked up to see Alex watching her with apologetic eyes. “I’m just— I can’t lose you, I thought I was clear on that.” She let out a big breath and Kara felt the brunette’s shoulders relax under her hands. “I’m sorry,” she said again, eyes honest and face open. “I’ll work on that.”

Kara pursed her lips and her eyebrows scrunched up in an adorable expression resembling so much to _the pout._ “I’m sorry too,” she whispered, her hand hand cupping Alex’s left cheek. “We just have to find a middle ground.”

And Alex’s grin peeked out from the dark expression she had on her face since Kara woke up. “Yeah,” she easily agreed.

There was a moment between the two of them, a silent but heavy moment charged with something neither of them could name. But of course, they forgot one tiny detail.

“Need help ?”

They weren’t alone.

“Huh ?” Alex eloquently asked as she turned her head to see the other Kryptonian now by her side, looking bored.

“Help,” the blonde slowly enunciated, like she also got hit in the head like Kara. “Or are you going to make her stand there when she is not able to stand alone ?”

“I’m fine,” Kara defended proudly, back straight but legs wobbling. And she felt a squeeze on her hand and tore her eyes off the Russian to look into deep, brown eyes.

“You’re not. Let her help.”

The request was soft and Kara heard it for was it was. A compromise. A middle ground.

So of course, she said “Okay.” And she got a beautiful grateful smile in return, so she couldn’t help but feel proud.

“Thank you…” Alex then stopped and frowned as she bit her lower lip, like she did when she was really focused on something. “What’s your name ?” she asked suddenly.

And it was Kara’s turn to frown, only now realizing they didn’t even know the woman’s name. But she wasn’t the only one taken aback by Alex’s question, because she could see how the woman stiffened as soon as the words left the brunette’s mouth. How her eyes darted down and her hands became fists at her side, how the muscles in her jaw worked visibly.

As the blonde stayed silent, the superhero tensed so much her wounds were more painful than ever, but she couldn’t stop. Something wasn’t right.

“What’s your name ?” Kara pushed, her question sounding more like an accusation than anything. Alex glanced questionly at her but the hero kept her eyes on her clone.

Then the Russian lifted her chin up as she crossed her arms. “SK-51-L.”

A heavy silence fell over them, the sisters digesting the information and the Kryptonian waiting for the bad reaction she knew she was going to get. But, of course, the Danvers never failed to surprise people.

“Okay,” Kara craoked out, clearing her throat before continuing. “So, what do you want to be called then ?” she gently asked, carefully getting closer to Alex so the ex agent could support her more fully as she was getting tired on her feet. “You get to pick your name, any name.”

 _Flabbergasted_ was a little short on what the woman was feeling. She was expecting hostility, or indifference at best, not... support _._ Not kindness _,_ or even worse, _understanding._ But that’s all she could detect in their eyes, in their expressions. And, even more shocking, pity was also nowhere to be seen on their faces.

She tried to gulp those feelings but her mouth was too dry and it ended up making a weird noise none of them noted. She wet her lips before looking up from her shoes she’s been staring for the last couple of minutes.

“I don’t have a preference,” she finally confessed, even though it wasn’t true. She had one, just not for herself. After all, her favorite name was already taken and it suited this person so well it was the only thing she remembered when she came back to herself in Russia before other memories came back.

“Well,” the blonde smiled, speaking first again, “it’ll come to you eventually. No need to force it.”

“Yeah,” Alex quickly agreed, eyes crackling with pride as she glanced at Kara before settling her gaze on the other Kryptonian again. “No rush.”

The gentleness in their voices was gritting on her nerves for some reason, resonating with feelings she didn’t know she had, and she let out an impressive sigh for someone who didn’t seem to have much experience with human social cues. “Do you need help or talk about names ?” she impatiently asked, eyes anywhere but on them.

Kara released her pout but not for the Russian woman, but because she was sad the woman was guarded like that. Although she didn’t blame her, not after everything she must have gone through; first with the Russian military, then the DEO. Then meeting her original, or her copy, however she saw things.

The brunette quickly rubbed Kara’s shoulder in silent support. “Yeah, sorry. We’d like help. Can you help her stand up while I examine her ?” Her voice was back to normal, no longer having that almost pity tone she knew the woman hated.

The blonde nodded and wordlessly went to help Kara. “Can’t I just lie on my back ?” the bloody hero asked as she put her arm around her copy’s shoulders.

“No, I have to see if the bullets went through or are still inside,” the brunette explained, trying to stop where and how many bullet holes Kara had. She gritted her teeth at the number but kept her breathing calm; Kara was alive, conscious and talking. It was a good sign. Still, the whole situation was tricky and so was the position Kara was in to be examined. “This suit’s too tight !” she eventually complained as she threw her hands up.

And it was true. Usually, it was almost convenient because the suit was like a second skin to Kara; it never got caught in door handles and most villains couldn’t even grab it to throw her (unless you counted the cape).  
But the blonde also knew that, when she was hurt, she had to change at the DEO to be examined properly, so it came as no surprise Alex had trouble doing her job right now.

“It’s okay,” Kara sighed, still being held up by the Russian. “I feel better already, it’s going to heal quickly. Trust me.”

“I trust you,” Alex quickly replied as she pushed long blonde hair from Kara’s eyes. “You need to at least get cleaned up, you can’t go out like that.”

Kara looked down at her body and squirmed self-consciously. Her suit was bloody, holes everywhere, and she could guess her face was only a bit better looking cause she surprisingly didn’t get shot in the face. Well, she’d be dead if she had, so it wouldn’t have really mattered anyway.  
She shook the dark thoughts away and frowned as Alex’s sentence finally registered.

“Go out ?”

The ex agent put her hands on her hips, getting her mind back on work and how to get out of this less than favorable situation. “We can’t stay here, Kara. And we have to get a plan, whatever it is. And, whatever it is, you can’t stay like that.”

It did make sense, but Kara didn’t really have her head in the game right now with her mind-fog clogging her thinking abilities.

“Okay. So… What do we do, then ?”

The other Kryptonian just kept silent next to them, listening and watching; absorbing.

“Well… I have an idea, but it’s risky.”

But really, what wasn’t at the moment ?

 

 

* * *

 

 

“This is inadmissible !” The fist came down hard on the metal table, causing the table and all of the objects on it to tremble; and even fall for some. The agents barely flinched at the raised voice but had a harder time keeping impassible at the show of anger; it wasn’t how things worked around here. “We’re in _your_ home, and _you_ let prisoners escape.” His tone was cold, slow but deliberate and so very scary for agents that weren’t his own. “Even worse, they freed another _valuable_ prisoner.”

“General Lane,” J’onn called, trying to intervene and save his agents.

The General turned his ice cold eyes to the Director and the man squinted his eyes in anticipation. “I didn’t give you permission to talk, and neither did the President.”

The threat was clear and J’onn clenched his jaw, relaxing only when he felt the soft touch of Lucy’s hand on his arm, silently asking him to stop. So he took a step backward but kept his head high and looked straight ahead, like his agents were.  
Lucy was in the same position he was, or even worse because the General was her father and even more merciless toward her. The military came and took over the agency at the President’s orders when they found out about Kara’s double, and now even the Directors didn’t have a say.

They were trying to stir the General toward false leads, hence why they hadn’t looked into old missions sites yet, but there was only so much they could do. So they kept their heads low, kept to themselves, and waited for the right opportunity to strike and throw Lane out. In all legality of course, or else it would have already be done.

“Good. Now… I want to know how they got out, who helped them and I want to know where they are !” As he talked, his tone got louder and louder until he just shouted his last words and the echoe rang into the silence. And as no one moved, he added “Now !” and everybody scattered away in a panic and went back to their job, trying to somehow please the General just enough to get him off their already burdened backs.

“It’s gonna be a tough one…” Lucy muttered as she passed next to J’onn, the man only grumbling his agreement in response.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Flying Crow, do you read me ?”

The crackling through the comms made Alex start, the device so small and comfortable she totally forgot she had it in the first place. Kara, sitting next to her on the floor, backs to the wall, turned to her with wide hopeful eyes.

They had been in that empty and dusty warehouse for what felt like hours, silent except for the occasional reassurance from either Kara or Alex while the other blonde kept to herself as she sat across from them.

“Winn ?” Alex asked to confirm, her voice higher than usual in hope.

The line creakled again for a couple of seconds. “Ah !” A relieved sigh was heard and Alex smiled to herself. “It worked ! I wasn’t sure because Lane’s men are trying to take over the comms, but I’ve got this private line I gave you after you freed your new friend, thankfully they—”

“Calm down,” the brunette gently instructed, knowing how her friend could get when he was excited or nervous.

Kara, smile wide, leaned against Alex’s shoulder with her hand to get closer to the earpiece and now had her face only a few inches from Alex’s. “Hey Winn !” she greeted cheerfully, glad to have a way to contact her friend after the whole debacle.

Feeling a weight in her stomach at the proximity, Alex playfully pushed Kara’s face away with a grin. “Stop it,” she whispered, failing to hide her smile when seeing the blonde’s. It was a nice change from the last few days. “Winn,” she said, back to being serious, “what do you got ?”

“Hey Kara,” he greeted back and Alex could hear his own smile in his voice. “Right. Well, we got some of your stuff you left in your lab that we got back while you were getting arrested at Kara’s. We also have Kara’s stuff and things you might need. Do you think you can meet us at Catco ?”

“Um…” Alex frowned at Kara’s bloody clothes, wondering how they could meet in a public place with the suit in this state. Or even how Supergirl could appear at Catco and not be detected by the DEO. Then she got an idea, and she wouldn’t have minded a literal lightbulb over her head. “Yeah, we can,” she agreed, earning herself a questioning look from her sister. “But who’s _us_?”

“Great. Oh, James and I. I often have clothes here that I take back home and today’s my Catco day of the week, so it’s not suspicious for me to be there. Do you want to meet for lunch ?”

Kara’s eyes lit up at the idea of food but Alex quickly shut down the idea, Kara’s beaming face turning into a pout. “It’s not safe to stay for too long. Do you think you could get us food though ? And cash ?”

“Oh, right,” he mumbled, disappointed but understanding. “Yeah, yeah, it’s already in the bag, don’t worry. Just get here when you can, and try to blend in,” he recommended uselessly as everybody knew Kara and her sister at Catco.

“Sure,” she drawled. “I’ll just get my invisibility cloak and try not to open the wrong book at the Restricted Section,” she deadpanned, Kara stifling a laugh next to her. “I’ll do my best,” she added more seriously, Kara squeezing her hand in support.

“Okay,” he grumbled, reminding them very much so of their very own Space Dad. “Okay, have to go now. See you later !”

And the second after, the line was dead.

“Okay,” Alex said to herself, pushing against her knees to get up before turning to Kara to help her up.

The blonde grunted at the strain but kept her focus. “Okay, so what’s the plan ?”

“You two,” she pointed to Kara and her doppleganger with her thumb, “swipe clothes. She waits for us here while we get what we need and then we form a plan when we get back.”

“You want to leave me here ?” the Kryptonian fumed, already up and fists trembling at her side. “And betray me ?” She spat the accusations like there was no way the women were being genuine and were planning on really getting back to her.

“Hey, we’re not here to trick you,” Alex promised with an open expression and raised hands. “We’re in the same situation here.”

The woman chuckled humorlessly. “We’re really not,” she countered through gritted teeth.

“Hey !” Kara snapped, an angry scowl on her face. “Enough with the accusations ! I thought we agreed to help each other out. If we keep turning on each other, then we’ll definitely get caught.” She waited a few seconds to see if the Russian was going to protest but she kept quiet, so Kara continued. “You can’t come because it’s my place of work, they know me there. We can’t risk it. Plus, we don’t have appropriate clothes for us to wear, even yours on me are going to attract attention.” Indeed, the blonde’s grey tracksuit was perfect for working out, but odd in a place like Catco. “Just… trust us, okay ? We didn’t get you out of there just to let you get caught again.”

And Kara’s words and face were so genuine, so trusting that her copy couldn’t help but have faith in them just enough to give it a try. “Fine. Let’s change.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

An hour and a half later, after changing clothes and getting cleaned up as best as they could, the Danvers sisters got in the elevator and pushed the button to the last floor of the building.  
They knew they were getting weird looks, one in sports clothes and the other all in black and bruises on her face, but they stared right ahead.

They wanted to avoid anyone that might know them, but they forgot to agree on a meeting place so they had to get Winn from his desk. Fortunately, the boss didn’t need an excuse for Kara’s absence as he was in the known.

Talk about the devil, as they exited the elevator they almost bumped into James.

“Hey !” he blurted out, blinking rapidly at the surprise meeting, then frowning at the state they were in. “Are you okay ?” he whispered worriedly, eyes following Alex’s bruises and Kara’s paleness.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kara quickly reassured him with a wave of the hand and a smile. “Don’t worry about it, you know how it is.”

And he knew, after his months of being Guardian, but it didn’t make it any easier seeing his friends like this. “Yeah… Well, I’m going to get Winn for you, he has stuff for you. You can wait into your old office,” he said with his charming smile before his face fell when he spotted someone walking to them. “Oh, go, go,” he urged them in a whisper with wide eyes, waving them away urgently.

Kara frowned as they backtracked while Alex turned around and clenched her jaw to stop the curse that was about to loudly slip out. “Fuck.” The word was quiet, but Kara heard it loud and clear along with the sentiment it came with, causing her to turn around in turn and see Nia walking up to them with a confused smile.

“Hey guys. I didn’t know you were coming in today Kara, James said you weren’t feeling well.”

Kara’s hand immediately reached for her glasses and gasped when she realized she wasn’t wearing them. Of course, she didn’t wear them with her Supergirl suit so they must be at her place along with DEO agents.

“Nia, hey,” she shakily greeted, hand smoothing out her ponytail instead. “Yeah, I’m— I’m just stopping by because Winn had stuff to give me.” The awkward explanation followed by an obviously fake cough didn’t help convince the woman at all.

At the same moment, Winn spotted them on his own as James just stood there panicking, and got up. “Hey,” he whispered to James back which was hiding the trio with its width. “I have the money and weap—”

“Winn, hey man !” James loudly covered up with panicked eyes as he turned around and mouthed _shut up !_

The genius frowned and took a step back at the weird behavior. He tilted his head to see behind James the three women.  
Kara looked panicked and awkward, hands wringing endlessly. Alex looked exasperated about the whole situation and her friends’ lack of ability to lie. And Nia just looked downright confused and suspicious.

“Kara, I got the money I owe you from the last game night,” he said, surprising Alex with this believable lie.

Except…

“We bet money last game night ?” Nia asked with a frown, not remembering this information.

“O— Oh, no, no,” Kara rushed to say only to realize she didn’t have a clue how to rectify Winn’s lie. “It’s— You know—” And she chuckled awkwardly, making sure the woman wouldn’t believe anything she’d say after that terrible interruption.

And Kara felt herself marginally calm down in a matter of milliseconds as soon as she felt Alex’s warmth on her shoulder, her hand squeezing gently to wordlessly ask her to stop talking.

“The last game night before you and Lena joined the group he meant,” the brunette easily explained with a smile. “It’s been years and we finally got him to own up to his defeat,” she said with a grin and a roll of her eyes.

The cover up was so believable that Winn racked his brain for a second, trying to remember if he did owe them money until he remembered they never bet money during game nights.  
Alex threw her arm around Kara shoulders and tightened her hold possessively unconsciously and the blonde flinched in pain, both having forgotten Kara’s wounds weren’t fully healed yet.

“Sorry,” Alex rushed to apologize and took her arm off of Kara at the same time, worried eyes looking over the hero’s body to make sure she wasn’t bleeding again.

“It’s fine,” Kara quietly assured her with a small smile in Nia’s direction. “Just went too hard at the gym,” she explained, now glad she had her doppleganger’s clothes. The excuse was lame because everyone knew she didn’t go to the gym, but she also knew her body looked like she did so she hoped her friend was going to let it go.

“Oh.” Nia’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, a crinkle in between. “Well, don’t strain too much then,” she said with a smile, hand lightly touching Kara’s arm before thinking better of it with a grimace. “And take hot showers, it helps.”

Kara internally sighed in relief and gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks, I will.”

“Kara, I’ve got the stuff you asked for… muscular ache in the office,” Winn eventually interrupted, knowing the sisters couldn’t stay too long without being detected.

“Great, let’s go,” Alex rushed to say, putting her arm under Kara’s and gently pulling her with her toward the door leading to the stairs.

“Oh,” Kara breathed out in surprise before turning her head back and waving while walking. “Bye Nia !”

By the time Nia realized they were leaving and that Kara just said goodbye, her hand was half raised to wave back. “Bye…” she muttered to herself, watching the sisters’ backs as they left the wrong way if they were going to Kara’s office.

She felt Winn pass by in a swoosh of wind as he sped walked to catch up to them, the door leading to the stairs closing on him. He huffed at the sisters impatience, too much in a rush to hold the door for him, and followed them up to the stairs.

Nia turned to speak to James to see him already gone, most likely having sneaked to his office already, and frowned at the weird situation but eventually shrugged the oddness; this was Kara, she was always a little strange at times, especially with Alex around.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“How can this have taken you so long to find out !” Lane growled, breathing steadily as he tried to keep his calm in front of all the agent at the hub.

One of his investigated and found out a list of old sites where the DEO intervened and shut it down until they got the time to clean everything.

J’onn clenched his jaw and saw Lucy’s hands turn into tight fists at her side. They stayed silent on the side, Lane’s daughter only finding out about those sites, and the Martian Manhunter quiet about the fact that he already guessed that’s where his protegees went.

The General made eye contact with J’onn, his own eyes almost red with rage, then pointed at one of his men menacingly. “You, find the most likely sites they’d be right now,” he ordered with a hard voice, the agent quickly nodding and sitting down at a computer. “Those aliens,” Lane spit under his breath with a grimace, going to stand behind the agent already working tirelessly to find a location.

J’onn grumbled lowly, earning himself a surprised look from Lucy, but shook his head at her and went to lock himself inside his own office. After all, closed doors allowed him to use his powers, such as pass through walls and leave a message to family in need.

 

 

* * *

 

 

As the office’s door closed behind them, Kara let out a relieved sigh as she rubbed her forehead. “I think we fooled her.”

Alex tried to hide her snort behind her hand and a cough well timed, but of course her sister knew her too well. “Sorry,” she apologized before a chuckle escaped once again from her mouth. “Sorry,” she said again, but she didn’t try to hide the mirth in her eyes this time. “I don’t think she bought it at all, but I also don’t think she’s going to be a problem. That’s just not how she is.”

Kara first felt joy at seeing Alex laugh in this situation, even at her expense, then a weight off of her shoulders at the brunette’s assessment.  
But then, she felt a pinch in her heart and she frowned, her instinct telling her to be defensive and a bit aggressive too. Even without knowing why.

“You place an awful lot of faith into someone you don’t know that well,” she accused, hands on her hips.

And Alex stopped mid gesture, hand in her hair as she was trying to get it out of her eyes. “What ?”

“Nia. You say that she’s not going to be a problem, but what do you know ? We don’t know much about her.”

There was a hint of a challenge in her voice, pushing Alex to say something to start an argument. And Kara didn't know why she kept talking, why she kept saying those awful things about her friend, but she just couldn't stop.  
The ex agent knew this technique well, she practically invented it. What surprised her, though, was that Kara was more of the talking type, not the shove and talk later one as Alex was most of the time.

But she thought the situation must have taken a biggest toll on Kara, the arrest and wounds not something she must have predicted before everything began. So she kept her calm, breathing slowly in from her nose and out from her mouth.

“I don’t know, she just doesn’t seem like the type. But you know her more than I do,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

And that seemed to have been the right thing to say as Kara’s shoulders relaxed, her frown transforming into something like confusion; at herself.  
But just as she was going to ask the blonde what just happened, the door opened again, causing both of them to jump, and Winn came in.

“Hey,” he said a little breathlessly. He stopped dead in his track once the door was once again closed, frowning at the tense atmosphere he could feel. “Did something happened ?” he asked, a little unsure if he could ask.

“No,” Alex said at the same time Kara answered “Nope”, the blonde looking anywhere but at Alex while the latter tried to meet her eyes.

“Okay,” he drawled in a whisper to himself as he busied himself to get the bag he hid in the room earlier that day.

He carefully put it in the table after having pushed the keyboard aside, slowly opening it with a grin. He stepped aside as the sisters approached, craning their necks to see inside.  
Kara gasped under her breath and Alex whistled her admiration, immediately getting even closer and got her hands in there.

“Good job, Schott,” she congratulated him, a gun so big it was twice her arm’s size in her hands, as Kara watched with wide eyes.

The blonde pushed Alex to the side, although she did it carefully because of the weapons, and opened the bag further to see what was inside and she gasped again, loudy this time.

“Winn !” she hissed, eyes big and mouth agape. “Where did you find those ?”

The black bag was filled with guns and other weapons, each one looking deadlier than the last, and had a big pile of money neatly rolled up in the right third of the bag. Some clothes were there too, most likely having been left in Alex’s lab during one of those long nights. Kara briefly wondered how he was able to fit everything in it as the bag didn’t look that big when closed, but quickly shook the pointless question out of her mind.

“I work at the DEO,” he explained with a shrug, but looked far too fidgety for that to be the truth. Squinty threatening eyes was all it took for him to tell the truth. “And Alex had a personal stock hidden in her lab !” he blurted out before grimacing and sending the brunette an apologetic look.

“Schott !” Alex scowled, considering testing the gun she had in hands on her dear friend who just betrayed her.

Kara closed her eyes then put her palms against them in fatigue, sighing loudly, hoping her stress and frustration would go with it. “Well… At least, thanks to her secret stock,” she sent an irritated look toward her sister, “we can defend ourselves if need be. I don’t know when I’ll be at a 100% again, or if we can trust…” She shook her head, rubbing angrily her forehead. “It doesn’t matter. Thank you, Winn,” she said with a small smile, head tilted in the way she did when she was honest and grateful for the people she had in her life.

The man shifted uneasily on his feet, still not used to being complimented this genuinely by anyone, and waved her praise away. “That’s nothing. Anyway, you should get going, just in case,” he recommended while unconsciously straightening his tie. “Oh ! And there are bandages in there too,” he added with a grimace, knowing his friends didn’t escape unscathed.

Alex grinned and lightly punched his shoulder. “Thank you, man.” She put the gun away with a small pout, wanting to inspect it more closely as it was the last one she acquired and hadn’t had a chance to test it yet. She put the big duffle bag over her shoulder, ignoring Kara’s insistence of wanting to take it herself, and opened the door. She cast a last glance to her friend, not knowing when they’d see him again, and tapped his shoulder again with the flat of her hand. “Take care.”

Kara hugged him, less tight than usual due to the lack of most of her powers and her injuries, thanked him again and joined Alex into the hallway.

They walked down the stairs to go to the elevator, wanting to say a last goodbye to James as well, but ran into Nia again.

“Hey ! Oh, that’s a lot of warm pads,” the woman noted, pointing at the big duffle bag when the Danvers just looked confused.

Kara tensed but Alex just smiled, though too tight to look anything more than polite. “We left some clothes at his place last time as well, he just gave everything back at once.”

The explanation made sense knowing how close the trio was, but Nia still looked a bit suspicious although she wasn’t comfortable enough yet as a friend to confront them about it.

Wanting to get out of this uneasy situation, Kara pulled her sick card. “Alex,” she whined, pulling at the streams of her sleeve with a pout. “Can we go home now ? I don’t feel that well.”

She knew it was out of character for her, but she hoped the surprise would throw Nia off the scent. And she was right as the woman raised her eyebrows high, taken aback by Kara’s behavior.

Alex pursed her lips in an amused expression, rolling her eyes to make the whole thing more familiar. “Sure, you big baby. Let’s go.”

The ex agent threw an arm over Kara’s shoulders and lead her toward the elevator, glancing back at Nia while mouthing “sorry”.

As soon as they go into the elevator, for once thankfully empty, Alex started chuckling which quickly turned into a full belly laugh with Kara laughing with her leaning against the brunette’s shoulder.

“I don’t think… she’ll ever forget this facet of yours,” she said while wiping tears from her eyes. “And me neither,” she added with a fond look, Kara catching it and burying her head into Alex’s shoulder with a blush.

“Shut it,” she grumbled, embarrassed, the sound muffled by Alex’s shoulder. “I saved our butts, you owe me kindness.”

Alex chuckled through her nose and wrapped her arm around Kara, rubbing her back soothingly. “I know, thank you Supergirl,” she murmured, her right cheek against Kara’s blonde silky hair.

The hero hummed noncommittally, resting a bit on Alex as the elevator slowly brought them down to the lobby.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Once they got back to their very own villain abandoned warehouse, they immediately set the bag down with a loud noise, the guns rustling amongst themselves. The journey to and back from Catco has been exhausting; the bus was crowded and Kara tried to hide her face after she realized she didn’t have her glasses on.

But they could relax now, safe and far from population.

“Finally.”

Or not.

“Sorry, did we make Her Majesty await ?” Alex drawled with a scowl, drained and irritated.

The blonde scowled and was about to bite back but Kara quickly interrupted them. “Okay, let’s all calm down,” she sighed, herself tired and sore after everything. “We have clothes and cash, so we won’t look like superheros who escaped military jail anymore. And cash also means—”

“Hotel !” the Danvers happily shouted at the same time, laughing at the prospect of sleeping in a real bed and shower all the grim and blood away.

The Russian frowned and crossed her arms, confused as to why such a thing brought them so much joy. “Is a bed more important than safety ?” Her tone was harsh, like she expected that they’d choose comfort over staying alive. After all, Americans were known for the luxury most of them lived in, accustomed to having things easily and effortlessly. At least, that’s what she was taught.

“We can be safe with a real bed,” Alex retorted, now too tired to be gentle with her words even though she was the one who convinced Kara to save her in the first place.

The woman pursed her lips, fists clenching then relaxing. “Aren’t we _safer_ here ?” she pushed.

Kara’s eyebrows scrunched up in concern, and as she turned her head to look at Alex again, her eyes caught something. “Hey, there’s something there…” she murmured, just loud enough to be heard but careful too.

She started toward the unknown, a strange feeling leading her outside of the warehouse and toward the big wall across the building.

“Kara, be careful,” Alex warned her, Kara half turning her head and nodding, eyes still on the prize.

“I know,” she mumbled, focused on the task. She got closer until she felt something familiar tugging at her senses, making her switch her x-ray vision on, the only power still working properly, and frowning. “There’s something written,” she quietly declared, squinting to try and see better until her eyes focused just right and everything became clearer. “Oh !” she gasped, smile widening then disappearing when the words registered. “Shit,” she hissed, quickly getting back to the women still anxiously waiting for her inside.

“Did you just curse ?” Alex asked incredibly, eyes wide and a smirk firmly in place.

“No time, we have to leave,” she blurted out, rushing frantically to take the bag off the floor and looking around to see if they forgot anything.

“What is it ?” Alex asked with a frown, now back to being the serious agent, taking the bag from Kara again.

Taking Alex’s hand, Kara pulled her with her with the other Kryptonian in tow. “J’onn left us a message,” she explained breathlessly, looking frantically around in paranoia. “They found out about the abandoned sites and it’s only a matter of time they find us.”

“Shit,” Alex seconded Kara, tightening her hold in the blonde’s hand in reassurance. “Okay, let’s find a hotel then.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Hi !”

The man startled at the chirpy greeting, unseeing eyes focusing back on the real world as he looked up from his book. “Good evening,” he politely answered, setting his book down with a bookmark and straightening in his chair. “What can I do for you ?”

Alex could see his eyes wandering up and down Kara’s body, the Russian’s clothes holding her body too close for her liking. “We’d like a room for two, please,” she said louder than necessary as she took Kara’s hand in hers again in a protective gesture. Not at all possessive.

He blinked at her and cleared his throat, frowning in an obvious fake focus on his computer screen followed by a few clicks.  “Yes, we have a room available. How many nights ?”

Alex reaching into her pocket and slammed a little harder than need be enough bills to cover one night and breakfast. “We’ll keep you updated,” she sweetly said with a forced smile, Kara confused next to her.

The man gulped and slid the key to their room with the number written on it. “Have a nice stay,” he mumbled shyly, not daring to make eye contact with the frightening brunette.

She grabbed the key without looking at him and pulled Kara with her toward the stairs a little more abruptly than necessary, the blonde frowning in confusion as she tried to keep up with Alex’s pace.  
She decided to keep her question to herself until they were safe in the room, so she kept quiet as they walked up the stairs. Once in front of their door, Alex let go of her hand to open it and waited for Kara to be inside before closing it behind them.

Putting the bag on one of the two single bed, Alex sighed and avoided Kara’s gaze, making the blonde tense.

“What was that ?” Her tone was gentle, but there was an accusation in her voice.

Just to have something to do, Alex busied herself with opening the bag and putting away what was inside. “What ?” she asked, tried to sound nonchalant but coming out as guilty; which was just right.

Kara crossed her arms, still standing by the door, and squinted at her sister in annoyance. “You were rude to the clerk.” She paused, trying to gauge Alex’s reaction but getting none. “Why ?”

“Kara,” the brunette sighed, hand already passing through her hair as she turned around to face her sister. “I was just—”

And she was saved by the gong, three loud knocks echoing in the room coming from the door. Kara startled but Alex only sighed again with closed eyes.  
The hero pursed her lips, annoyed at being interrupted, and rolled her eyes at Alex’s obviously relieved expression before slowly opening the door. Her doppleganger passed by her with a gush of wind, face hard and eyebrows furrowed.

Kara quickly closed the door after making sure no one was in the hallway and turned to face her copy’s anger, hands on her hips in anticipation. “What now ?” she mumbled, knowing full well she’d hear her.

“You can’t just leave me alone,” she complained, her pout lost in a sea of fury and weakness alike.

“We talked about it,” Alex sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “And you were supposed to wait longer before coming, in case someone saw you.”

That had been the plan, the nameless blonde waiting ten or so minutes before joining them so she’d have an excuse for not having the same clothes than Kara. But, of course, an insecure person, Human or Kryptonian, didn’t respond well to being left alone.

Sulking, but having nothing to say to defend herself, the Kryptonian gritted her teeth and sit on a bed abruptly in her anger. The noise that followed didn’t even made Alex flinsh, all too accustomed to it from her shared childhood with an over eager Kryptonian, but Kara grimaced at the memories and at the imaginary bill they’d most likely really receive at the end of their stay.

“Okay,” the brunette said, a hidden sigh behind a calm voice. “That’s gonna be _your_ bed,” she said to the Russian as she put her bag on the other bed next to it.

Frustrated at herself for having lost control of her strength in her anger, the blonde scowled at the bed as she tilted her head to see if it was fixable. One of the bed’s leg was shorter now, a pile of sawdust next to it, so she just accepted that her night in a real bed wasn’t going to be as comfortable as planned.  
With a loud sigh, she let herself fall backward on the bed, carefully, and just stared at the ceiling while the Danvers put the clothes away and hid the bag with the weapons and money in it on the top shelf of the closet.

“I feel gross,” Kara eventually complained, her clothes dirty and still traces of blood on her body even though they cleaned most of it to go to Catco. “I’m going to take a shower,” she announced, clothes in her arms.

“Do you need help ?” Alex immediately asked, concern overwhelming her so much she didn’t realize the implications. “You’re still hurt.”

Kara stopped dead in her tracks, back to the women, and took long seconds to finally slightly turn her head toward Alex but while keeping her eyes no the floor. “N— No, I’m good.” And Alex could see from there just how red the blonde’s face was, causing her to frown then widen her eyes as her words finally sank in. “Thank,” Kara said as she rushed inside the bathroom, words strangled and higher than usual.

The door closed with a loud slam, Kara’s “Sorry !” getting lost in the ringing Alex was hearing inside her head, her own face getting redder by the second.  
She kept her groaning inside her head, not wanting Kara to hear her freak out, but she knew she couldn’t help how her heartbeat picked up at that moment, so loud even to her poor human ears.

“What just happened ?” The thick accent made her come back to reality, the sudden broken silence a blessing as her agent habits came back and her heart slowly went back to its normal speed.

“Nothing,” she mumbled, pretending to tidy invisible stuff next to the already put away clothes. “I just— kinda crossed a line,” she admitted, hoping Kara was listening to her apologetic voice.

The blonde frowned, ready to ask which line she was talking about, when a muffled voice beat her to it. “No you didn’t !”

That was supposed to ease Alex’s worries, but that only made her blush even more as she dropped her chin to her chest and kept her back to the Kryptonian.

In the bathroom, Kara was also trying to get her heartrate under control, still confused as to why she had to in the first place. Hand on her chest, Kara frowned at her reflection in the mirror as she pondered the events over in her mind, trying to pinpoint the specific thing that flustered her back then.

As the fog didn’t seem to leave enough room for her heavy mullings, she decided to save her troubles solving for another time and got in the shower. Luckily, her powers weren’t fully back yet so she didn’t even have to focus to not let her hearing go beyond the gentle sound of the water hitting her. As she looked at her naked body, she grimaced.  
It was covered by bullet wounds, almost healed but still flaming red and painful. She counted six, except the one which grazed her temple and only left an angry trail of red on her head.

She showered, carefully washing herself with gentle hands and warm water, then padded the towel on her body as to not hurt her cicatrizing injuries. She slowly put shorts and a loose tee-shirt, the most comfortable clothes she found inside the bag, and opened the door.  
She entered the room occupied by two women facing each other at the same time as the steam from her shower. As she put a foot outside of the bathroom she heard the end of a conversation.

“I don’t want to be called like a useless princess,” the Kryptonian was saying with a scowl, sitting on her lopsided bed, arms crossed over her chest.

Kara frowned and fully left the bathroom, earning one surprised set of eyes on her as the other one probably heard her coming. “What’s happening ?” she shyly inquired, trying to get past the awkwardness she felt and knew Alex also felt if her fleeing gaze was any indication.

“Alexandra wants to call me like a princess.” The tone was frustrated but not longer angry or resentful. _Progress,_ Kara thought.

Alex raised her arms in the air and let them fall back with a smack on her thighs, sitting cross-legged on the bed next to the Russian’s. “It was just a suggestion. And Elsa isn’t a Princess, she’s a Queen,” she informed her with a challenge in her eyes, daring her to even question her knowledge about Disney movies the blonde knew nothing about.

“Oh,” Kara breathed out, finally understanding, before chuckling. “It’s a nice name. Plus, she has power, so it’s pretty fitting.” She glanced at Alex who was looking at her and held her gaze, decided the odd feelings stopped now. “And it’s almost similar to Alex’s mother’s name, it’s a nice dedication.”

Alex groaned and let her head fall into the bed, her pain muffled by the bed’s cover. “I hadn’t thought about that…” She sat back up and looked at the Kryptonian dead in the eyes. “You can’t take that name,” she finally announced with a serious look. “Choose another Queen.”

Kara shyly took her place next to Alex, one leg crossed and the other dangling from the edge of the bed. “Most of Disney Queens are animals or villains,” she said with a smile, eyes soft and longing.

The brunette met her heavy gaze but held it instead of running away, face slowly softening before finally relaxing into an easy smile and rolled her eyes. “You guys aren’t even humans, what do you care ? Plus, Nala is really nice.”

Kara huffed and playfully shoved Alex’s shoulder. “We aren’t but we’re still closer to you than animals, thank you very much. And I never said Nala wasn’t a pretty name.”

Alex hummed with a suspicious expression; a smirk and eyes squinted like she did when she had a childish idea. So, really, when she pushed Kara’s shoulder in turn it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Except Kara wasn’t as receptive to signs nor had her powers to help her right herself in time, so she felt herself fall with an arm already spread out toward the floor to soften the fall.

And, really, she knew Alex, so she also shouldn’t have been surprised that her beloved sister caught her other flailing arm and pulled her back to the security of the soft bed. Now on her back, messy hair everywhere around her head and in her face, she let out a relieved breath and started laughing with Alex looking at her with a worried expression.

“You okay ?” the brunette dubiously asked, wondering if maybe Kara hit her head just before she caught her.

And the blonde puffed a breath out, making her hair fly off her face, and she chuckled. “Yeah, sorry. Thanks. It’s just— so weird, I didn’t even think I’d get hurt so I wasn’t even that worried to fall down,” she explained, her tone still laced with laughter and something else. “You did, though,” she said, voice soft and even softer eyes finding hazel ones.

“Of course,” Alex immediately confirmed, frowning in concern. “You taking those bullets never leave my mind,” she confessed in a whisper, throat tightening when Kara’s hand found hers.

“I’m sorry,” the hero brokenly apologized, finally understanding just how deep her gesture touched and pained her sister.

With a watery smile, Alex rubbed her thumb over pale hand and slightly shook her head. But Kara knew now, knew Alex had needed to hear that apology since the beginning even if Kara wasn’t sorry about what she did. She _was_ sorry about how it affected the most important person in her life.

Across from them, the new Kryptonian silently watched them with a focused expression; taking in every word, every gesture and every reaction. Learning.

Alex cleared her throat and blinked, finding herself again. “About that, how are you feeling ?” she worriedly asked, eyes spotting one wound on the blonde’s shoulder. “We should clean them up.”

The advice was odd after a shower, but Kara guessed she just wanted to make sure everything was alright so she just nodded with a smile and sit up with a quiet grunt. Thinking about it, she was suddenly glad she had the habit of wearing a sports bra even to sleep, as she didn’t know when she’d be called to fight an alien.

The bruises she had on her legs had already faded, so she only got rid of her tee-shirt and stood in front of Alex in her shorts and sports bra. Luckily, it was charted territory and the brunette was already back in agent mode, focused expression and sure hands.  
The blonde hissed lowly when Alex’s cold hands touched her skin, but kept still as to ease things for her sister. Alex only grazed the bullet wounds, making sure nothing was infected, and quickly took the bag down from its hiding place and took the bandages out.

She got to work, focused on the task, while the Russian sighed of boredom behind them. Eventually, Alex broke the silence. “Arya.”

The word was so random that Kara blinked twice before she got over the confusion. “What ?”

“For a name,” Alex clarified as she looked up briefly to make eye contact, making sure her sister was following her train of thoughts.

“Wha—” Kara frowned and tilted her head. “We’re not going to name her after a Game of Thrones’ character,” she protested, almost looking effronted.

Alex snorted and put a bandage a little more forcefully. “We aren’t _naming_ her, she’s choosing the name herself,” she reminded her with raised eyebrows, chuckling to herself as she shook her head a little. “She’s not our kid. And, for your information, I think Arya’s really nice. I know it’s close to Kryptonian names and it also passes as human, what more do you want ?”

“I like it,” the Kryptonian said, her opinion lost in the sisters’ banter.

Kara huffed and put her hands on her hips unconsciously, causing Alex to sigh in annoyance as it moved a bandage she just put. “I want her to choose a name that doesn’t make people think of murders and little girls swinging a sword against grown men,” she countered, bloody images flashing through the blonde’s mind making her grimace.

“It’s just a show,” Alex gently admonished her sister, adoring smile tugging at her lips. “Plus, it’s a strong woman’s name. And it might—”

“I like it,” the Russian said again, louder this time. “Arya…” she slowly said, testing the name rolling off of her tongue in her accent, making it even more beautiful and pronounced.

“ — fit her just right,” Alex finished with a shit eating grin, smugly looking at Kara before turning around to face the other blonde. “You like it ?” she asked, already knowing full well the answer.

 _Arya_ nodded in a jerky motion, trying to hide a smile. Trust was hard to earn, she made them work for it. “Yes.”

The sisters smiled to themselves, happy to see the Kryptonian slowly warm up to them.

“It’s a great name,” Kara agreed, mumbling a “what ?” as she shrugged when Alex looked at her with an incredule expression.

Alex snorted, shaking her head at Kara’s antics, and smiled at the newly named woman. “Now that _that’s_ done, and that your bandages are also done, I believe it’d be a good time to go to bed,” she said, a yawn at the end reinforcing her suggestion.

“Yeah,” Kara yawned back, eyes closing and sleepiness settling in.

She sluggishly put her top back on, hands already reaching for the soft sheets. Alex chuckled and quickly grabbed clothes to take a shower. “Don’t take all the room,” she playfully warned the blonde with one last glance, trying to hurry up so she could join her before she fell asleep.

“No promises,” the sleepy Kryptonian mumbled, blinking to try to stay awake; at least until Alex came back. She’d at least warm up the bed until then. She slipped under the covers with a satisfied sigh and a smile on her face, happy to finally sleep in something comfortable. She turned her head to see her doppleganger just sitting there, staring at the floor with a frown. “You can take any clothes you’d like to sleep,” Kara murmured, eyes focused on the way the soldier startled at the attention. And Kara closed her eyes and turned her back to her, trying to give her enough privacy to process everything before whispering a “Goodnight, Arya,” knowing the woman would react and would like to do it without being watched.

After a few minutes, silent room only broken by the sound of the shower running, Kara heard some rustling at the same time as the bathroom door opened with a wave of soapy odor. Avoiding Alex’s gaze, Arya quickly got in the bathroom and gently closed the door.  
Alex frowned at the action but quietly padded to the bed after having shutting the light off. Carefully joining Kara as to not hit her sore body, the ex agent gently pushed Kara a little so she’d have the room to lie beside her sister.

She put her arm over her waist, her front against Kara’s back, and squeezed her hand once she found it. “How are you feeling ?” she whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly in the comfortable silence.

She felt Kara shrugg under the covers, following Kara’s hand against her chest and feeling her slightly slower heartbeat. Kryptonians didn’t have a quick pace like humans did, and that always relaxed Alex when she could hear of feel it. And Kara knew it.

“It’s a bit uncomfortable, but not that painful anymore. I think I might get my powers fully back tomorrow.”

Alex could hear hope and excitement behind the sleepiness, the blonde antsy to getting her powers finally back as she was rarely without them. So the brunette held her tighter, face buried in blonde hair.  
The bed was usually for only one person, but they were used to making it work. Back in Midvale, if Kara had a nightmare, she’d often join Alex in her own to seek comfort once they were in better terms. After a few months, though, it was Alex’s turn to reach for Kara’s warmth when her dad died; or, well, disappeared.

They booked a room for two to throw the DEO off their scent if they looked for three people traveling together, and although they expected a double bed they were glad now because there was no way they’d have fit three persons in it. Well, they _could have,_ but that wasn’t their first option. So, really, everything turned out okay in the end.

“I’m sure you will,” Alex eventually replied, putting all of her determination and support in her voice. “And we’ll be able to stop taking the bus,” she said with a dreamy voice, trying to light up the subject.

And she knew Kara, so of course it worked. The blonde snorted loudly, especially in the silence, and wiggled against Alex’s front in pursuance of contact and warmth. Alex’s hold tightened again, understanding Kara’s need to be as close as possible, and gently kissed the spot between her neck and shoulder, the only reachable spot where her top wasn’t blocking the skin.  
Kara shivered under the attention, and turned around to face Alex in the dark. Not having slept in a single bed since they were teenagers, the blonde didn’t expect to find herself so close to the brunette’s face.

Their eyes locked in some sort of invisible but heavy spell, gaze unwavering and chests heaving. Something was happening, the spell pulling them closer and closer, until…

The bathroom door suddenly opened, startling them back into reality so hard they head-butted each other and Alex fell on the floor at the surprise attack. “Alex !” Kara exclaimed, sleep quickly forgotten, hissing as her fingers touched her forehead.

Groaning, Alex also rubbed her forehead.

“What’s going on ?” Arya asked, frowning at the scene before her; Kara on all four on the bed to see Alex sitting on the floor, both their hand on their forehead.

“Sleeping,” Kara blurted out at the same time as Alex grumbled _“Kryptonians…”_

“Are you okay ?” the blonde still asked with concerned eyes.

Alex snorted, hazel eyes rolling. “I’m pretty sure I’m less hurt than you.”

And her special Kara grin made everything better; the pain lessened as did the awkwardness for the second time that night. So Kara also rolled her eyes and got back to bed, her back turned to the two women.  
Alex chuckled to herself and Arya just watched them with pensive eyes, following their movements and trying to understand how their minds worked. Or their hearts.

Alex took back her rightful place behind Kara, her arms holding her close and a sleepy smile on her lips as the darkness started to engulf their minds.

“Goodnight, Arya,” both sisters mumbled, relaxed in the embrace of the other.

After a moment of silence where all they could hear was the rustling of the Kryptonian’s sheets, getting in the bed in turn, Kara whispered an uncertain “What are we going to do ? Where are we going to go ?”

And the tremble in her voice made Alex bury her face in Kara’s neck, now almost cheek to cheek, to provide some comfort; support. “Home,” she simply said, knowing the blonde would understand and that would settle her fears. For now.

No one said anything after that, knowing they wouldn’t be able to do anything at the moment. They’ll overthink their future tomorrow.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The comms buzzed loudly in the agents’ ears right before a cold voice came out of every earpieces. “Stand down !”

Every masked agents stayed still, half crouched, weapons ready in their hands. All set to barge in the warehouse to finally capture the three women who made a fool of the General with their escape, they waited for his command.

“Something isn’t right,” Lane mumbled as he watched the scene through the body cams in the safety of the DEO’s hub. He gave J’onn a sideways glance full of suspicion, but the Director remained as stoic as ever as he stared at the large monitor. Eventually, the General decided he had to take the risk; or, well, his agents had to. “Go in,” he ordered, his men immediately moving and took over the old building as quietly as possible.

But as the masked soldiers explored every inch of the place, they quickly realized that the fugitives were no longer there. Every few seconds, an agent shouted “Clear !” once a room or a corner was found empty, and soon they all found themselves armed to the teeth but with no one to arrest.

“The site’s empty, Sir,” the leader informed the General, still looking around out of habit.

“Damn it !” Lane shouted, fist once again hitting the cold metal table where he stood. “You,” he angrily grunted with his finger pointed to J’onn. “You did this !”

The Martian saw the accusation coming, had cover his tracks, but it still made him tense to be talked that way in front of his own agents. He was respected here, liked; even worshiped in some cases. And being insulted like that, even if the General was right, was not something J’onn could simply ignore.

Gritting his teeth as to not let the first insult in his mind slip out, the Director uncrossed his arms to not appear as closed off and defensive as he actually felt. “You do not talk to me that way,” he dangerously warned the man, staring right at furious eyes. “Especially when you have no proof that I actually betrayed the agency I’ve been working for a decade now.” His demeanor was calm, collected, and his voice steady, but everyone could hear how controlled it really was.

Lane’s face pinched into a grimace, trying not to explode in anger in front of everyone. “How do you explain the empty warehouse then ?”

The Martian huffed and crossed his arms again, looking more relaxed now. “You’re dealing with not one, but _two_ Kryptonians. Plus, an excellent trained agent who knows the ins and outs of this agency. They could have heard us coming,” he commented, internally grimacing at the use of the word _us,_ “or Agent Danvers simply predicted we’d come for them. She’s skilled and smart, it’s no surprise they don’t stay put at only one location.”

“ _Ex agent,”_ the General spat, face red but somehow keeping it together in front of their audience. “And you better tell the truth,” he openly threatened, voice trembling in anger and restrain.

And with that he left the room after mumbling a “Come back to the base,” through his earpiece, fists tight at his sides and strides long and rapid.

J’onn and Lucy shared a worried look but kept quiet, the last thing they needed being overheard by one of Lane’s men. They had to keep a low profile if what they had planned was going to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked that one, it's already the second to last of this story. Thank you for staying with me on this one this long, the Kalex fandom is so great !
> 
> As usual, don't hesitate to DM me on Tumblr @Clarapuce13 :)


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I thought it would end in 5 chapters, but obviously I couldn't write like a normal person and the chapter is almost 30 000 words long. _Unfinished._ So I decided to cut it. That's why it took me so much time to post it, sorry !
> 
> So, I never do that cause songs usually don't feel "right" as I write, they just make me think of the fic I was writing when I listen to them again after, but this time... Well, a whole album somehow feel right. It's DOGVIOLET from LAUREL.  
> *There's a song in particular for a particular scene in the fic (see the end notes) that just was perfect and lead the whole mood of said scene. You should totally listen to the song, hell, the whole album, while reading this chapter if you feel like it.
> 
> Anyway. The next (and hopefully last) chapter is already well undertakened, it'll come faster, not to worry.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this one !
> 
> As usual, don't shy away from giving feeback, it does help.

The sun filtered through the leaves, trees lightly tottering with the wind. Squinting at the bright light, Alex tightened her hold on the bag’s wide strap as they waited for the bus.  
They left the hotel early that morning, not wanting to stay in one place for too long, and decided to take the bus even if most of Kara’s powers were now back.

When they woke up, the blonde didn’t have a scratch on her body anymore, much unlike Alex who still wore her split lip like a badge of honor.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea ?” Kara asked, standing closely next to Alex, feeling lighter than ever with her powers back. “Do you really trust her that much ?” The tone wasn’t accusatory but worried; scared.

Arya had decided she’d join them in Midvale later, having things to take care of before leaving the city she came to learn about for an unknown length of time. And Alex had agreed, after giving her the location to the house, that she should get her things in order if she wanted to have a new life.

“She said she needed to do something,” Alex answered quietly, eyes never settling on one spot but rather wandering everywhere; being a fugitive would do that to you. “I don’t want her to regret something, especially after what she went through. She deserves some closure.”

But Kara was already shaking her head. “No, I do agree with that. But…” She looked around before getting closer to Alex to whisper “What if she wasn’t being honest, though ? We don’t _really_ know her, and you gave her Eliza’s address, aren’t you at least a bit worried ?”

Alex immediately took Kara’s hand in hers, the other still safely guarding all that they had, and glanced at her before resuming her sweeping of the place; analyzing every person’s face, every movement and holdings. “Don’t worry, I trust her.”

That should have eased Kara’s worries, but it only made the weight in her chest heavier somehow although she didn’t say anything. Her hold tightened around cold skin and she kept quiet, waiting for the bus to arrive.

Unbeknownst to the other, each sisters thought about the time Alex went on the run with J’onn and ended blonde with a kid on a bus going straight for Midvale. Alas, the situation hadn’t changed that much this time around, even if Alex was glad to be with Kara this time, and Kara was more than happy to be with her favorite DEO (ex) agent.

“It reminds me when I went on the run with J’onn and dyed my hair blonde, only to realize how much I look like my mom when I saw her.” Alex’s confession about something she never talk about brought Kara comfort, feeling somehow even closer to her sister now.

The Kryptonian snorted, hiding her face behind long blonde hair before fondly looking at the brunette. “I can’t say I haven’t thought about it, when Eliza told me about it,” Kara admitted with a grin, eyes finally getting their lightness and colors back.

Just as Alex was going to reply, blush taking over one hundred percent of her face, they heard the sound of a bus arriving. They were spaced out as Midvale was far away and not many buses went there, and the tickets were quite expensive, but it was the safer way to get there; home.  
Automatically adjusting the bag’s strap on her shoulder again, Alex let go of Kara’s hand to get ahead of her. If they were somehow discovered by someone, she wanted her sister to have the time to run.

“Stay cool,” she whispered, knowing she could hear her loud and clear.

Tense shoulders slumped, a little too much to be natural but still better than the straight posture the blonde had just seconds ago. She stayed close to Alex, careful but still wanting to be close in case something happened, and they both got in the bus after giving their tickets.  
The driver offered to take Alex’s bag to put in the trunk, but the ex agent tightened her grip and jerkily shook her head with dangerous eyes. The man stammered something incoherent but waved them inside, quickly getting to the next persons waiting in line.

Kara put her hand on the small of Alex’s back, her mere presence relaxing. “Thank god you told me to play it cool,” she teased in a murmur as they moved to the back of the bus, sitting in the left aisle so they could have their eyes on the cars.

They settled on their seats, Alex by the window and with the bag at her feet, and Kara by the hallway. “He was eyeing the bag oddly,” Alex whispered, eyes alert as she watched people sitting down around them.

Kara stopped the urge to roll her eyes, knowing it wouldn’t be well received right now, and put her arm around the brunette’s shoulders instead. “Because he wanted to free you from carrying it in the bus.” The tone was gentle but pushy, trying to stop Alex’s paranoia as soon as she could, otherwise she knew all too well how her sister could get. “I’m monitoring heartbeats, don’t worry.”

Alex stayed tense for a moment under Kara’s heavy limb but eventually relaxed, slumping in her seat and against the blonde as the fatigue overwhelmed her. “Okay,” she murmured, eyelids already begging to fall down even after a full night of sleep.

“Sleep,” Kara urged Alex in a whisper, closely followed by a kiss to her temple. She let her shoulders relax too, left cheek slowly getting closer until it laid on top of Alex’s head.

“I’ll sleep at mom’s,” the ex agent mumbled unconvincingly, stubborn. But she felt herself fall into darkness as the warmth and softness from Kara’s hair lulled her to sleep.

Kara lowly hummed, the hand on the other side of Alex slowly rubbing the brunette’s arm in a soothing motion. The hero could also feel sleep calling out to her, but she stayed alert for them both, it wasn’t the time to mess up; they were almost home.  
The journey to Midvale was long, especially by bus, but once it was clear they weren’t followed the ride was actually peaceful. They hadn’t drove there a lot, but the roads were familiar and calming.

After Alex woke up, trying to sneakily wipe the drool from Kara’s top, they just talked about easy things. Things they’d normally talk about if they were actually driving home for the holidays or just to see Eliza after too much time passed without seeing her.  
It was nostalgic and new at the same time, a new feeling having blossomed in their chest after Arya’s appearance.  

But the more they neared their destination, the more relaxed frames tensed and soft eyes became hard again. Even a little less than an hour out of Midvale, Alex already had the bag back on her laps with iron grips around the strap, sharp hazel eyes glaring at anyone daring to look in their direction.  
Kara had her hand on Alex’s, the fist making it impossible to hold it, but she rubbed circles with her thumb in hope to calm the brunette’s already frantic heartbeat. When it didn’t work she just kept doing it, the gesture as much for Alex than for her.

And when they eventually reached the last bus stop, waiting at the coffee place next to it for a while to make sure they hadn’t been followed, they finally let themselves breathe fully. The cold fresh air from the small town slowly caused their muscles to relax, smiles to appear and laughter to echo loudly in the familiar street.

But Kara knew that, even if they were thousands of miles from here, she’d also feel this way as long as they were remotely free. Home _was_ where the heart was, and hers was with Alex.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Kara ?” The voice was unknown but the name wasn’t, so the blonde turned around to see a tall, thin woman walking to her. Her dark hair were tied into a ponytail and she wore a confused expression. “I thought you were sick.”

The Kryptonian froze then, understanding quickly transforming into guilt and worry. “Um…” She wanted to find an excuse, find anything to say, but the words failed her. And maybe it was for the best, knowing even her voice would betray her.

A tall dark man walked by, endless files in his hands he looked at with focused eyes, but looked up as he neared the elevator. “Kara ?” His low voice caused the woman to turn around, back to the blonde for an instant.

She shrugged when the man looked at her, then they both looked at the Kryptonian. Just as she was getting ready to bolt, a small man appeared, chest heaving with heavy breathing. “Kara !” he called breathlessly, awkward smile and awkward wave. “Hey, glad you could make it.”

He rushed toward her, the blonde staying still in front of the metal doors of the elevator. “Hey,” she replied a little uncertainly, frowning.

He stepped closer and gently grabbed her elbow, not wanting to spook her. “Sorry guys, gotta show her something.” And then Winn was pulling along with him toward the stairs, urgently but also carefully. They were in public after all. Once in the staircase, door close behind them, he let her arm go with an angry scowl. “What are you doing here ?” he hissed, jaw clenched and spine rigid.

She didn’t back down, stance tall and easily towering the man. “I just want to see how she’s living,” she defended, her accent betraying her.

“She’s not going to be able to live like this if you out her, though !” he retorted, trying to keep his voice low but still conveying his frustration. Then his scowl turned into a frown, blinking as he thought about something. “And where are they ?” He looked around, then behind him like he could see through the door, like they’ve been here all along but he just missed them.

“They’re fine,” she sighed, eyes rolling. Already taking the Danvers habits. “They went into hiding, I’m meeting them after.”

She could see his jaw working, teeth grinding as he tried to rein his anger in, until his whole body relaxed at once and he just looked exhausted. “Look,” he tiredly said, fingers rubbing at his forehead. “The DEO is trying really hard to find you. _All_ of you,” he added with a pointed look. “Kara has a life here, Alex too. They have friends— _family._ You can’t jeopardize everything just because you’re curious.” His words were final but his voice gentle, imploring her to understand with his eyes. “I… I understand why you’re here, I do. It’s just not safe.” He was apologetic now, eyebrows scrunched up and hands wringing anxiously.

The staircase was filled with tension, Winn’s heart beating wildly in anticipation and Arya’s eyes calculating, thinking. Then, after a moment of deathly silence where Winn thought the world had been on pause for a little eternity, the blonde broke eye contact to look at her feet then up again. “I understand.”

The DEO agent could feel his lungs fill up with air again, realizing he stopped breathing while he waited for her answer to a question he didn’t even ask. It seemed she cared for the Danvers sisters after all, didn’t want to put the life they built here at risk.  
He loudly breathed out, hands on his knees like he’d just done a marathon, then looked up with a grateful lopsided smile.

“Thank you,” he breathed out honestly, eyes twinkling in relief. “Really. I know it’s not easy, trying to fit in in a world that doesn’t seem to want or even know about you. But you— you’ll find a family, I know you will.”

She felt her heart squeeze painfully at his words, hitting a little too close to home without her even realizing it, and she frowned as she took a deep breath to get rid of this odd feeling. She wasn’t Human, she was a soldier, just a clone. She wasn’t supposed to feel this; to feel _anything._

A loud creaking made Winn jump and Arya tense, eyes ready to fire at the first sign of threat, but her eye muscles relaxed when she saw a familiar head peek from the partially opened door. “Guys,” James called carefully, voice low but carrying, easily echoing through the staircase. “You might want to wrap it up, I can’t keep answering Nia’s questions. She’s pretty persistent,” he admitted with something looking like a pout.

And with that he was gone, door slowly closing on its own, leaving them both alone again. Their eyes lingered on the door, watching it closing until the end to gather their thoughts. They looked at each other when the creaking stopped, Winn with an awkward but relieved smile, and Arya with an unreadable expression.

“Well,” he started, hands uselessly smoothing his tie against his shirt. “I should go.” The hesitant words were followed by a thumb pointing behind him, an unconscious motion making it look like he knew where his desk was wherever he was in the building. Then, a concerned look. “You should too.” And the words were gentle, his tone too, genuine and not only wanting to get rid of her. “Go join them, you need them. You need each other.”

It was something weird to say, to hear, that people who barely knew each other could ever need each other, but she somehow knew he was right. So she wordlessly nodded, determined, and the next second she was gone without looking back.  
Because she knew if she did, she’d never want to leave this beautiful life her doppelganger built here.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Even after they were sure no one followed them, the nearer from the beach house they were, the more they looked over their shoulders. It was Eliza’s house after all, not something worth risking over a need of familiar face and beds.  
They carefully made their way through the forest, taking all the precautions they could. Kara had taken the bag from Alex as soon as she felt the brunette would let her, her powers finally good for something since she got them back, and she kept Alex’s hand in hers; it was as much for her as it was for her sister. They both needed the contact.

Their hearts started beating faster when the house first appeared through trees and leaves, that old nostalgia making them feel antsy; excited but scared at the same time.  
They had no idea how to approach the problem with Eliza, because they barely understood it themselves. How to tell her about Kara’s doppelganger when they didn’t even know where she came from ? How to prove she wasn’t a menace, wasn’t after Supergirl’s family ? Those were the toughest questions, but not the only ones. They had so many swirling inside their minds, both trying to keep a strong facade for the other when all they needed was for the other to share her thoughts.

They went through some pretty difficult times, some traumatizing experiences, but nothing this complex. That was a first, and neither of them knew how to react, how to handle the situation.  
But that was okay, because they knew they’d figure it out together, like they’d always done.

So, they took a deep breath and kept walking, the back of the house getting bigger as they got closer. Alex’s hand shook slightly in Kara’s, not even bothering to hide it, and the blonde knew why.  
Alex was terrified of her mother’s reaction, already tensing and anticipating the blame she’d surely receive. So Kara’s grip tightened, eyes soft and comforting when blue eyes met hazel ones.

Alex gave her a small smile in return, squeezed back then stared right ahead, determined. “Let’s go,” she murmured to herself, Kara nodding in support next to her.

They went through thick bushes, emerging from the dark forest into the dark lit garden behind the house. Alex shakily breathed out, palms already sweating but letting the blonde ignore it.

“Come on,” Kara said, voice returning to a normal volume and almost startling Alex as they got used to the silence during their walk to the house. “It’s going to be okay, you did nothing wrong.”

And Alex almost snorted, because _of course_ Kara knew what she was worried about, but it came out as strangled and she was immediately tightly hugged by a very warm Kryptonian. She almost forgot about this warmth during Kara’s loss of powers, but now it was like she never knew a cold Kara in her arms.  
Shaky hands clutched to Kara’s shoulders, her top wrinkled in the brunette’s hands, and cold nose hid in strong shoulders. The hero murmured reassurances into Alex’s ear, her breath against white skin causing the brunette’s whole body to run hot; hotter than from the warmth coming from the Kryptonian’s frame.

Eventually, Alex’s chuckle broke them apart as Kara pulled away to look curiously at her sister. But Alex only shook her head with a smile, watery eyes looking fondly at the way Kara awkwardly rubbed her shoulders.  
Alex discreetly wiped her eyes as she bent down to take the bag where Kara left it fall when she hugged her, taking in a long breath as she straightened up and looking more at peace after her little breakdown.

“Thanks,” she said with her grin, bumping shoulders with a smiling blonde.

Kara playfully bumped into her shoulder in turn, throat not as tight anymore. She took her hand again, at least until they reached the front door; she didn’t want to make it look like Alex was leaning on her, something Eliza might criticize her about. But Alex quickly grabbed her hand back with a hard look, almost threatening but reassuring just enough.

This time, Kara’s shoulder only grazed Alex’s but the sentiment was conveyed just as much in the grateful smile she gave her. She wanted to knock for Alex, at least that, but she also knew her sister needed to do it.  
She always had to prove how strong she was to everyone, to her mother; until she had now herself to convince also. And it pained Kara to see it, to have watched it happen without being able to do anything. How Alex’s self confidence slowly became faked, became a front she put on when with her mother.

So she let Alex pull her shoulders back, chin high and gaze firm, and confidently knocked three times on the door.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“This is risky.” And the voice was weary, followed by closed eyes and fingers pinching the bridge of a nose. “One wrong move and it’d destroy everything, most likely send us to prison.”

A sigh, not frustrated but tired. “What else do you suggest then ? It’s our only option to put a stop to _him._ ”

The silence drew out, teeth anxiously munching on a lower lip, on the inside of a cheek, until someone eventually spoke up again. “Fine. Just know that I’m not only doing it for _them,_ I’m also doing it because it’s the right thing. And because he needs to see he’s going way too far when no one tells him it’s too much.”

A low chuckle, vibrant even when trying to be quiet. “Of course.” And the tone was lighter, relief washing over them both at having agreed to something once and for all.

Then the woman reached for the door knob, pausing then turning her head to face the man. “I’m glad you’re by my side,” she confessed, eyes tired but determined. And before he could speak, make this moment sentimental, she cleared her throat and straightened her spine. “I’ll come by after hours,” she said, words full of meaning and danger.

And with that, she opened and closed the door behind her, exterior firmly professional once again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Alex ?”

And the ex agent wasn’t normally fidgety, but the voice and tone just made her forget all about her training for an instant and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “Hey Mom,” she greeted uncertainly with a weak wave of her hand, the other still tightly in Kara’s.

The blonde stood quiet next to her, knowing she needed to do this by herself, and stayed a mere presence during the mother-daughter reunion.

Eliza took their states in, the weird clothes that didn’t match and Alex’s bruises on her face, a heavy duffel bag kept tightly against the brunette’s body, and her gaze grew concerned. “Come in,” she said, flashbacks dancing in her mind of a blonde Alex coming to her with who she thought was an enemy, and rushed them inside. She looked around outside before closing the door, locking it several times for good measure.

She turned around after making sure they were safe, facing a nervous Kryptonian, and engulfed her into her hug. “Hey, Eliza,” Kara whispered in her neck, squeezing carefully once before releasing her.

It was Alex’s turn, then, to be in her mom’s arms. To close her eyes and bask in familiar and nostalgic scent; Eliza’s perfume, the cooking in the background and the house’s general smell. The oldest blonde pulled back and took Alex’s face in her hands, grip a bit too tight but also trembling in worry.

“Are you okay ?” she asked in a whisper, like someone might hear them if she didn’t lower her voice.

Her daughter put her own hands on hers, not removing them but only giving comfort through touch. “I’m fine, Mom. We’re fine,” she reassured her with a small smile, although her face was still pinched after everything that happened to them. “We just—” She glanced at Kara who gave her a small but encouraging nod, smile giving Alex strength. “We just need to stay low for a while.”

Eliza sighed, nodding in understanding as she let go of her daughter’s face, crossing her arms over her chest as she eyed both sisters. “What happened ?” Her tone was resigned, like those parents whose kids ended up at the police station every other night, but also admonishing.

Alex rubbed at the back of her neck, staring at the floor, and Kara gnawed at her lower lip as her hands almost turned the hem of her shirt into dust. Kara had decided to let Alex handle it, knowing her sister so well, but she took in her taut muscles and rigid stance and decided against it.

She cleared her throat, making Alex startle as she was so much in her own head. “Well, you see…” They really should have rehearsed on the bus, or during their walk up to the house which took a couple of hours. “So, _you_ know I’m the last female Kryptonian, right ?”

Eliza frowned in confusion and Alex groaned as she let her head fall into her hand, hiding her exasperated look. “Is this a trick question ?” the mother asked, glancing between both women to try and understand. She paused, the question sinking in as well as their weird behavior. “What happened ?” she asked again, but this time her words were full of fear and anticipation, crossed arms tightening against her chest as if she was bracing herself.

Looking right into Eliza’s eyes, Kara let out a loud breath and put her hands on her hips, hoping the habit would lend her some courage. She opened her mouth to speak, but at the same time the front door rattled loudly; in fact the whole house shook slightly, and the next second Eliza and Alex found themselves behind Kara against a wall, the blonde’s arms stretched out on the sides to protect them.

As the seconds passed and nothing happened, she made them crouch behind the kitchen counter to hide and whispered “Wait here,” without looking at them. She got up and marched to the door, forcefully opening it and sending flying the locks Eliza bought after Alex’s last visit, and the mother groaned; these were expensive.

Alex desperately wanted to join Kara, help her, but she had to stay with her very human and defenseless mother. So she gritted her teeth and stayed put, fists clenched and shaking but ready to punch someone’s lights out to defend Eliza.

Just as she thought she’d implode, the stress and waiting becoming too much, Kara’s voice rang out in front of the house. “Arya ?” The voice was between frustrated and surprised, between a hiss and a shout, and Alex understood her perfectly.

After hearing Kara’s voice, Alex sighed loudly in relief and slumped against the kitchen counter as she waited for her heartbeat to finally slow down. She passed her hand through her sweaty hair, anxiety slowly flying away as Kara’s voice lowered along with her worry.

“What’s happening ?” Eliza whispered, confused and scared, wanting to ask so many questions but keeping her mouth shut.

Alex’s hand found her mother’s and she squeezed gently, eyes reassuring. “It’s okay,” she promised, voice back to normal volume. “It’s what we were going to tell you,” she confessed before getting up and making sure everything was alright outside. Glancing at Kara’s direction, she saw her with her hands on her hips and her double crossing her arms with a frown as she looked at the side. She snorted, guessing the lecture Kara was obviously giving her right now. “Come on.”

She offered her hand to her mother, helping her get up on shaky legs.

Outside, Kara was thoroughly scolding Arya for arriving like that and scaring everyone; after all, they were all on the run and didn’t know just how much time they had before the DEO found them. The woman was understanding, although sulky about the whole thing, and didn’t protest once.  
Kara started to see things like Alex did, seeing the way Arya was just lost and didn’t know how to fit or behave in this world she knew nothing about. Especially when she was just a copy of someone else.

Kara’s heart constricted painfully at that thought. Thinking how it’d make her feel to brutally wake up in a world she knew nothing about, being detained by a military that forced her to train and do their bidding, only to escape to find the one person she thought she could trust.  
Of course, she _could_ trust Alex, but she was also immediately captured by the DEO right after their meeting. It was no wonder she had trust issues, even after the sisters rescued her from the DEO.

So she understood, in a small way, how Arya felt. Or at least she was trying to, she hoped it was enough for now.

“‘m sorry,” the Russian eventually mumbled, staring at her shoes as she refused to meet Kara’s gaze.

The blonde sighed, arms going limp at her side, the fight leaving her. “That’s okay. Just— don’t do it again, that’s all.” She paused, looking at the way the Kryptonian’s shoulders were slumped in defeat. “Did you do what you needed to ?” she gently asked, eyes kind.

Arya sharply looked up, look suspicious but slowly turning into that almost trusting gaze she sometimes gave them. “Yes.”

But Kara wasn’t convinced, her doppelganger’s voice sad and resigned. “Are you sure ? If you— you need help, we’re here,” she offered uncertainly, not wanting to cross a line. After all, they didn’t know each other that well.

And Arya looked at her for a long time, watching Kara’s emotions and expressions carefully, like all of this was just a facade only to trick her into trusting them. But Kara was genuine, concerned even if careful with her, and Arya couldn’t not fall for this; honest or not.

“No.” A pause. “Thank you.”

The hero beamed at her, not all the way because she was still worried about her obviously unfinished business, but happy that they seemed to be on the right path. “You’re very welcome !” But her blinding smile quickly turned sour when she heard steps coming closer, and wondered how the heck they were going to explain that to Eliza.

So she panicked, Arya frowning at her double’s weird behavior, arms flailing around with wide eyes, breathing frantic.

And that’s how the two Danvers women found the Kryptonians outside. Kara had her back to them, and whirled around when she heard them stop outside, somehow managing to hide the other Kryptonian’s small frame behind her own. She suddenly wished she was in her Supergirl suit so she could hide the woman behind her cape.

“Eliza !” Kara squealed in panic, stopping dead in her tracks at the no nonsense look her foster mother was giving her. “Are you okay ? You didn’t hit your head when I pushed you two against the wall ? Maybe you should let Alex check you out, just in case,” she blurted out in a rush, giving an imploring look to Alex in hopes of a rescue. She wasn’t ready.

Meeting hazel eyes, her hopes were crushed when Alex just shook her head with a shrug; _let’s get this over with,_ her eyes said. And Kara couldn’t deny her.

She looked down at her feet almost in shame, guilt somehow pouring out of her every pores because of— well, she didn’t know why exactly, but it didn’t make the feeling any less unpleasant.  
So, without meeting anyone’s eyes, she slowly stepped aside to reveal her double.

Eliza’s gasp was loud, almost echoing in the open air, and Alex felt her mother tense next to her. Shaky hand against her mouth, the other was clutching at her daughter’s sleeve like a lifeline while her breathing was unsteady and rapid.

“Mom,” the brunette murmured, hand already on her mother’s to give some sort of support. “This is Arya.” Her voice was soft, trying to give her information without spooking her more than she already was. “She’s…” She looked at the woman in question, deep in thoughts, not really knowing how to finish her own sentence.

“She’s family,” Kara filled out for her, firm and confident. Leaving no room for questioning her statement.

Which earned her one pair of shocked blue eyes and another pair of adoring hazel ones. Eliza’s didn’t change, the shock still freezing her whole body mid-breath. Kara was beginning to worry she wasn’t going to breathe again but, eventually, the oldest Danvers sucked in a breath like she came back to life.

“Well…” And her gaze was hard, distrustful. “Come on in, then, if you’re family.”

And with that she turned around and went back inside without a second look, leaving the three women taken aback and silent behind her. Alex sighed while rubbing her forehead, the defeat and quick acception of her mother’s behavior obvious in her slumped shoulders.

Kara’s scowl quickly transformed into concern for her sister, seeing her so used to this but also getting so hurt every time was something she never wanted to see again. With a sigh of her own, she looked at Arya with an apologetic smile. “Let’s go,” she murmured gently, trying to let her know they’d be here for her whatever Eliza had to say about it.

Both blonde women walked up to Alex, patiently waiting for them in front of the broken door, and Kara immediately reached for her hand, comforting her broken but so strong personal hero. Grateful to be with Kara at moments like these, Alex delicately kissed her temple, lingering just a tad there, and pulled her with her inside the house with a grumbled “Let’s get this over with.”

Kara took a deep breath before gently took Arya’s elbow with a reassuring smile and they all went inside, taking their time to join Eliza already waiting for them in the kitchen. She was facing the front door behind the counter, back rigid and shoulders pulled; ready for a fight it seemed.  
Alex gritted her teeth at the sight, but focused on the warmth around her hand and relaxed slightly. She wasn’t alone. And she always fared better going against her mother when it was to protect someone, so she wasn’t that worried when the person she was protecting was so much like her favorite person in the whole galaxy. She let go of Kara’s hand, trying to look less dependent and weak in front of her mother.

After the door was closed, slightly letting cool air inside where the wood splintered because of Kara’s haste, the whole house was plunged into silence and tense energy. Arya was deathly quiet behind the superhero, quieter than the two other women as her ears picked on more subtil sounds, but she was tense; impossibly so.  
So Kara squeezed her hand, the only thing she could do when her other hand itched to be around Alex’s, and dropped the blonde’s so she could soothingly rub her back. Arya tensed even more at the touch, but slowly relaxed when Kara persisted, giving her a small smile.

Kara smiled back then stopped the movement, watching Alex challenging her mother to a staring contest. After what felt like a small eternity, the three young women’s muscles taut with anxiousness, Eliza spoke. “Talk.”

This command brought back memories for the sisters, the word familiar and chilling. Heard when they got back too late from school, when one teacher called to talk about in incident involving her girls, when they couldn’t be found in their room but the window was open.  
It was already disappointed even before having heard their version of the story, their truth. It brought back old festering guilt Alex and Kara shared, some heavy and deep buried feelings they tried so hard to ignore.

Unconsciously, the sisters held hands automatically and Eliza glared at the act but kept quiet. Alex took a deep breath and began telling the older blonde everything. The more she talked and the more Eliza stayed silent without displaying an emotion, the more Alex’s hand tightened around Kara’s; slightly trembling because of the strain.  
Arya’s steady breathing became less and less controlled as she listened her story told by another point of vue, another person, but she kept quiet and stood still next to the sisters even if slightly further back.

As soon as Alex started, Kara’s throat was already too tight. She had tried to put everything having Arya existing meant in the back of her head, but hearing it all made it all too real all over again.  
She was Kryptonian, she was _her._ She had a… twin ? A Russian twin ? Not really, because she hadn’t met her parents, hadn’t been raised with them, hadn’t been _wanted,_ and she couldn’t imagine how that felt.  
Well, she _could_ as she was herself left in an unknown family that didn’t ask for one more child, but it was definitely different.

So, as she listened Alex unload everything that happened, she made a silent pact to herself; she’d be Arya’s family, her sister. She’d be there for her in a way no one was, would defend her and protect her as she would with Alex.  
She’d fulfill her role she never could as Kal-El’s protector, follow her parents wishes and her planet’s customs. She’d be the best almost-last Daughter of Krypton that ever existed.

And when the ex DEO agent stopped talking, having finished the whole story up until the point where Arya arrived at full speed and strength in the garden, the deafening silence was back once again. It was a bit better than before, because they knew Eliza was processing and wasn’t giving the silent treatment to her daughters. But apparently, she didn’t need _that_ much time either.

“Are you out of your _mind ?”_ she whispered with wide eyes, looking at the Danvers sisters like they buried an innocent in the backyard. “You didn’t even think this through !” Her arm waved at their general direction with her accusation, falling back with a loud snap against the kitchen counter.

“Mom,” Alex warned dangerously with a scowl. “We did.”

“You obviously haven’t, if you brought her here,” she hissed through gritted teeth, ignoring the way her hands shook on the counter for all to see. “It’s _dangerous.”_ And she said it like they never thought about that, like it hadn’t been an option.

Kara sent a worried glance at Alex, having thought about that before getting on the bus. She’d let her sister take that one and maybe she’ll answer the next accusation. “We can trust her,” she confidently stated, gaze hard and unwavering.

“Says who ?” retorted the equally cold voice.

“Me,” Kara finally chimed in, stance tall and assured, taking a step forward. “And Alex. And the people who helped us escape, meaning highly trained and experienced agents.” She paused, staring at the woman who raised her basically on her own, at the woman who didn’t sleep for days while trying to find how to make her life on Earth easier. At the woman whose touch she craved so much those first few weeks in this odd planet. “Eliza,” she sighed, taking in her trembling hands and short breath. “You don’t have to be afraid,” she murmured, trying to convey all of her sincerity in her eyes as she took another step toward the woman.

They could see the older woman losing her fighting spirit, her edge and sharpness. They could— “You’d already all be dead if I wanted to kill you,” the Russian commented in her thick accent with a disinterested look on her face.

Eliza startled, her slowly relaxing muscles already so tense she seemed like she could snap at any moment again, and her trembling hands became fists. Alex groaned as she buried her face in her hands and Kara whipped her head toward the other Kryptonian with a glare. “Arya !” she admonished, nostrils flaring in her anger. She felt like she was teaching a child, and maybe, in a way, she was. “That was uncalled for !”

The blonde frowned and shrugged with crossed arms. “What, it’s true. I just want her to see I’m not threat.”

Kara sighed, watching with a bit of frustration her double trying to help them in just the wrong way. “I know,” she murmured, hand touching tense shoulder before letting go again. “It’s just… There are words that—”

“It’s fine, Kara.” The clipped tone was kind of betraying the words, but then Eliza’s shoulders slumped and she let her head fall onto the counter with _thud_ and a sigh longer than she ever heard. Well, a sigh or something like a groan, they weren’t sure.

Alex’s head left the safety of her hands, eyes wide and mouth agape. “Mom ?” Her voice was uncertain, wanting to reach out but also wanting to leave her mother some space.

Another sigh, shorter and quieter, then blue eyes looking up. “Sorry, girls,” Eliza immediately apologized, eyes earnest and guilt-ridden. And slowly, her eyes wandered on the right until they met another shade of blue. “I’m sorry… Arya.”

One of Arya’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly, the only sign of her being shocked at the statement other than her fast beating heart only Kara could hear. The sisters also were taken aback by the sudden change of behavior, although they shouldn’t have been.

Eliza visibly softened, face tired but relaxed once again. “I’m just… processing.”

Alex stayed put next to Kara, tense and ready for the ball to drop, like her mother was lying for some reason. So Kara reached out again, Alex’s hand stiff in hers, at least until she smoothed the tightness away with a slow motion of a thumb. “We understand,” she reassured with a warning look at her sister who clenched her jaw to keep her comment to herself. “It took us time, too.” Another pointed look followed by Alex looking down in shame, and another comforting motion of Kara’s thumb on the brunette’s hand.

Eliza watched the Kryptonian closely, eyes tracing every detail of the woman’s face, trying to find flaw where they were none. “You look exactly like her,” she whispered in awe, fingers twitching as she longed to reach for her. “Even that scar…” Arya tensed at those words, her deepest shame of being a clone being talked about like it was nothing, but one look at the small, proud smile that Kara wore relaxed her again. Eliza sighed, looking down as she clasped her hands on the counter before looking up. “So. What are you going to do ?”

And both Danvers raised their chins, determination and fire in their eyes. “She’s someone, all on her own; she’s alive. She needs a life where she can be free, happy.” Kara shifted on her feet, now unsure as she glanced at the brunette. “We don’t know how, though,” she quietly admitted, losing her Supergirl persona and slipping back into the awkward and hesitant Kara Danvers.

“We’re going to find a way,” Alex promised, hold tightening on the blonde’s hand.

Kara smiled gratefully at this beautiful human being, chest swarming with a warm feeling as she felt her heartbeat quickening. It always felt like that every time she remembered just how lucky she was to have Alex in her life; so, almost all the time.  
Alex smiled back and looked at her mother to find her watching them with an unreadable expression. Arya grumbled, sulking in her corner in response of the women’s optimism, which snapped Eliza back to reality as she blinked and had her concerned mask back on.

“Okay. So, who’s going to help me cook ?” Three pairs of eyes suddenly wandered away from the kitchen, both sisters stammering incoherent excuses and Arya just glaring at the floor like it’d help her. Eliza chuckled as she shook her head, her daughters still the same as they always were, nothing to worry about. “Fine. Then, Kara, go and try to…” She waved toward the front door with an exasperated look, “fix _this.”_

Kara mumbled some apology under her breath before guiltily making her way to the front door, face flushed as she felt the cold air coming in from outside. Alex’s snort stopped her short though, and she turned around to point her with a look but the brunette beat her to it. “Kara ? _Fix_ something ? Call her when you want her to _break_ it.” And she rolled her eyes to soften the blow, adoring hazel eyes meeting twinkling blue ones.

But Kara decided to play, make her regret it. She bent her legs a little, arms stretched out a bit as she squinted at her. “You have something to say, Danvers ?” she challenged, shuffling on her feet to confuse her. Not that it worked that well on a DEO agent, but still; she could try.

And Alex smirked, arching an eyebrow as she got ready as well in a similar stance. “I think I just did, Zor-El,” the brunette threw back, fingers twitching.

Alex shifted a foot with a scratching noise, Kara focusing her gaze on it like she planned, and putting all of her weight on her other foot to pounce on the blonde with everything she had. Only, a second before she had the time to make her move, she felt something damp slap the back of her head with a wet sound.  
She gasped loudly at the cold and surprising feeling and whirled around to find her mother with one hand raised, clearly the culprit. The brunette reached where she felt the fabric on her skin with a frown, coming up with an old rag she knew her mother used to wipe her hands with when cooking.

Eliza crossed her arms with a raised eyebrow. “No powers in the house, don’t encourage her.”

“Not fair,” she groaned with a scowl, slowly turning around to face her sister, knowing she wouldn’t like what she’d see.

And she was right.

Kara was holding her mouth with one hand, and her nose with the fingers of her other one, face red and shaking as she tried to keep her laughter in. She even considered turning around to make it easier, but decided she’d rather see her sister’s angry face than not at all after an such an attack coming from Eliza.

Alex sighed, gaze falling on the floor before meeting Kara’s again as she rolled her eyes. “You can laugh,” she grumbled, her scowl so deep the blonde worried for a second it might leave wrinkles for life.

But Kara liked a challenge, and she shook her head with watery eyes as she looked at the brunette dead in the eyes, trying to keep it together. Slowly, she slowed her breathing and the redness left her face bit by bit. Eventually, she hesitantly removed her hands from her face and let out a shaky breath, lips still trembling and jaw clenched at the effort.

And then… Alex made the mistake of deepening her scowl somehow, now more a grimace than an angry face, and Kara lost it. She quickly turned her head away from her sister, but her whole frame shook and everybody could hear her random snorts.

The brunette sighed and turned to her mother. “See what you’ve done ? I won’t hear the end of this.” And she was right.

“Come on, you big baby,” her mother chuckled, sending look filled with mirth to Arya. “And she pretends to be this big bad agent,” she added in a staged whisper, rolling her eyes as she pointed to her daughter with her thumb. A snort louder than the others interrupted whatever Arya was going to reply and Eliza smiled kindly at the woman. “Come on, help me cook while they try to fix the front door,” she offered, her tone leaving the Russian the choice.

After a small hesitation, the Kryptonian nodded and joined the oldest Danvers behind the kitchen counter. Alex smiled at the interaction, happy that things turned out alright in the end.  
She turned to see Kara still stifling her laughter, head turned the other way in a vain attempt of muffling the sounds. With a smirk, she gripped the rag tighter in her hand and walked up to her sister with soft steps.

She stopped next to her, hands on her hips as she watched her laugh to herself without realizing that revenge was so near. And with an evil sneer, Alex tensed her muscles and put all of her strength in the blow she hit Kara with. The cloth made a sound so loud against the blonde’s thigh that everyone stopped what they were doing to look in Alex’s direction with an alarmed expression.  
Kara frowned, looking at her sister’s hand and the wet mark it left on her own pants, slowly registering what just happened because she didn’t feel anything.

Alex closed her eyes with a grimace before slowly looking behind her, Eliza looking at her like she was trying to keep her cool and not lock her up in a cupboard under the stairs. And Arya just looked bored, although there were subtil but familiar lines along her eyes that suggested she found the whole situation at least a bit funny; and Alex counted that as a win.  
Still, she cleared her throat in embarrassment without meeting her mother’s eyes, and quickly left to find the toolbox in her room, where she left it last time she came here and fixed some things around the house.

Finding it under her bed, like some teenager hiding shameful stuff, she turned around to see Kara leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms and a teasing smile on her face. She got up from her crouched position, leaving the box on the floor, and threw her arms in the air with a defeated look. “Come on, have at it.” Kara kept her smile in place, only wordlessly shrugging as she kept looking at Alex. “What ?” the brunette frowned. “Come on, you can make fun of me. I gave you plenty of material here,” she pushed, confused as to why the Kryptonian wasn’t already laughing her ear off in the privacy on their shared room.

Kara shrugged again, looking down this time, her smile starting to become shaky and her eyes misty. In two long strides, Alex was already in front of her. She pulled her from the door frame, closed the door, and engulfed her in a strong hug.  
The brunette rubbed her back with one hand and kept Kara’s head buried in her shoulder with the other. She knew her sister, and the hero liked tight hugs just like she did.

Tightening her hold around her sister, Kara sniffed and put her cheek against Alex’s shoulder. “I just don’t know what I’d do without you,” she admitted in a broken whisper, Alex’s breath itching at the confession.

“I’m here, I’m not leaving,” Alex promised, her murmur comforting and relaxing. “We’re going to figure this out, together. It’ll be alright, I got your back,” she vowed, Kara melting under her hold at her words.

The blonde nodded against taut muscles, the ex agent tense in her determination. “Thank you,” she whispered, voice watery but hopeful.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Alex chuckled, pulling back and wiping the tears away from Kara’s cheeks with her thumbs, looking at her sister lovingly. “You’re there for me too.” Kara gave her a little nod, always thinking she gave less than Alex gave her, which was wrong on so many levels. “Come on, let’s go fix what you wrecked, Ralph.”

“Hey !” Kara gasped, scandalized. “He changed !”

Alex huffed and rolled her eyes, a grin still making its way through her fake tough exterior. She only hummed in response, her relaxed framed enough for the blonde to relax too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Come on !” Alex shouted, hands on each side of her mouth like it helped the women hear her better. “I taught you that move, like, _last month !”_

Sweating, Kara wiped her forehead with a shaky hand. “Come do it yourself, then,” she grumbled from where she was lying on the ground, Arya looking down at her with an almost bored expression.

“I heard that.” Alex sighed as she pushed herself up from where she was sitting on the bench with her mother on the porch, watching the two Kryptonians train. As promised, Arya started training with Kara as soon as they rested enough in real, comfy beds, with Alex coaching them.

“That was the hope,” Kara retorted, squinting her eyes at the sun as she watched Alex walking up to them. The brunette rolled her eyes but still offered her hand to help the hero stand up. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“Okay, so…” The ex DEO agent just stared at Kara for a few seconds, the blonde growing more and more uncomfortable at being scrutinized. “What the hell ?” she eventually asked, eyes wide and hands thrown in the air. “I thought you had that move down when I taught it to you !”

Kara became red then, sputtering excuses. “Bu— But it’s been a while !” she defended, wiggling her arms around. “And she’s strong, too !”

Arya snorted at the same time Alex sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You fought aliens before, right ? I’m not dreaming the last few years ? Supergirl, red skirt, rescuing humanity a couple of times ?” The brunette’s eyebrow was high, making Kara squirm on her spot.

The blonde huffed, face still flushed, and resisted the urge to stomp her feet on the ground. “She doesn’t let me show her !” she complained, last try at deflecting.

Alex rolled her eyes and the other Kryptonian scowled. “You’re too slow, it’s not my fault.”

Kara gasped and Alex whispered “Oh my…” with her hand on her face, dreading what was to come, and slowly backing away in anticipation. She knew her sister.

“S— Slow ? I’m not slow !” As she kept her eyes on Arya’s, Kara sneakily rushed to sweep the woman’s feet from under her, effectively making her fall on her back with a loud echoing noise.

Arya’s surprised expression was quickly replaced by an annoyed one, growling as she slowly got up all the while staring at Kara. “You’re gonna regret it,” she snarled, showing her teeth in her anger.

“Bring it on,” Kara smirked, already in an offensive stance with an arm stretched out and fingers making a _come here_ motion.

Arya crouched, ready to attack, but Alex quickly put herself between them. “Guys…” she sighed, swatting Kara’s wiggling fingers away with a slap. “We’re not here to fight.”

Kara relaxed but frowned at the ground as she crossed her arms, kicking rocks absentmindedly, the corner of her lips turning up a bit as she tried to hide a grin. “I mean…”

“We— Well, yeah, but to train, not because of childish bickering,” she rectified with a glare, challenging her sister to be sassy again and winning when the blonde just grumbled incoherently. “Okay,” she sighed, her lips pursed as she thought about what to do from here. “Arya, just give us a moment while I teach Kara the move _again._ Maybe if we do it enough times, it’ll go through this thick skull of hers.” Her smirk matched her raised eyebrow, hands on her hips to complete the teasing look she sent Kara.

Without another word, Arya nodded and went to join Eliza on the porch while Kara grumbled unhappily about the digs Alex made at her all morning. The brunette’s mother welcomed her new company with a warm smile, eyes following the stiff posture quickly sitting next to her while leaving more than enough space between them.

“Tired already ?” she asked, tone polite but eyes shining with affection. She nursed her cup of tea between her hands, steam lazily coming out of the hot beverage.

The Kryptonian huffed, staring at the women standing far enough their words couldn’t be heard. “Tired of Kara,” she corrected with a scowl, arms crossed over her chest. “She doesn’t know how to fight.”

Eliza chuckled, expression filled with mirth. “Kara’s very defensive of her powers, she thinks it’s the only thing that sets her apart, that makes her _good,”_ the woman explained, eyes now back on Alex who had Kara’s hand in hers as she talked to her with a soft smile. “She’s wrong.”

Eliza’s expression changed when Alex laughed loudly and put some of Kara’s hair behind her ear as the blonde seemed to blush with her head down. Following the woman’s gaze, Arya watched as her doppelganger hid her face in Alex’s neck, the brunette locking her hands behind the hero’s back.

“Is this… what it feels like, to have a sister ?” the blonde hesitantly asked, wondering if she someday will have something similar with the Danvers sisters herself.

The older Danvers glanced at Arya, then set her gaze back on her daughters, and she hummed. “They’re special,” she settled for, sipping her tea as she kept watching them over the brim of the cup with a serene and patient look. “They care for each other…” She trailed off while Alex planted a kiss on Kara’s temple, the blonde blushing again as she took a step back, rolling her shoulders like she was getting ready for a fight; and maybe she was because Alex grinned and put her fists up, ready to strike. “In different ways than typical sisters. Alex acts more like a sister with her cousins, or even her friends.”

It was Arya’s turn to hum now, eyes squinting as she focused her senses on the Kryptonian and Human now exchanging careful punches. “It’s boring,” she heard Kara say, an impressive pout on her lips.

“Thanks,” Alex huffed with a scowl, going for another punch but was easily avoided. She sighed, letting her fists fall back down with a resigned look. “I know it’s not much of a training for you with your powers currently active, but you have to remember what I’m teaching you. It’s for Arya.”

“I know.” The blonde, still pouting, also let her arms relax along her body. “I just do it better when I’m training with you,” she admitted, cheeks slightly red as she kept staring at the floor.

Alex frowned with confusion. “But you do it perfectly in the field,” she reminded her sister, thinking of the times she wore that proud expression as she watched Kara take down a big alien while using the moves she learnt from her.

“It’s different.” Kara was now kicking the ground with the tip of her shoe, creating a hole already.

“But you taught Mon-El,” Alex pushed, taking a step forward. She was curious of the blonde’s reaction.

“Still different,” Kara insisted, scratching her blushing cheek, foot tapping unconsciously faster and digging even deeper. As the silence stretched out, she shyly looked up, seeing the brunette watching her with a raised eyebrow. Sighing inwardly, kara’s foot stopped after she realized what she had done to Eliza’s beautiful grass. “You were supposed to do it,” she started, quickly glancing at the two blondes sitting on the porch and seeing Arya grimace when Eliza offered her cup of tea. “And you can’t because we don’t have the Kryptonite emitters, so I have to do it in your place.” Her look was vulnerable, almost pleading.

Still frowning, Alex closed the distance and took Kara’s hands in hers, lowering her head to catch blue eyes with hers. “So what ?” The Kryptonian’s warmth spread through her whole body from her hands, and she light tremors she felt proved just how affected Kara really was with whatever she kept herself from saying. But Alex wasn’t giving up. “It changes nothing. You made remarkable progress since you started training with me, you’re more than qualified to help her.”

“But I’m not,” the blonde almost snapped, the weakness of her voice removing any bite it might have had. “I’m not you,” she continued, stubbornly scowling at the ground. “I can’t help her, I’m not you,” she repeated, the tremors in her hands now also in her voice. “I’m not as strong, or as smart or as—”

Even with her Kryptonian senses, the time between the loss of Alex’s touch on her hands and the new pressure against her cheeks didn’t even register in Kara’s brain, the action too quick; even for her. “Hey,” Alex said, forcing Kara to look at her. She had the blonde’s face between her hands, gripping so tightly her muscles shook with the strain, and her eyes were now locked with hers. “Don’t say that.” The ardor in her eyes caused Kara’s breath to catch and her eyes became misty. “You are so strong and so—” She stopped herself, gulping as she looked away before staring back into blue eyes. “You can do so much, you already do so much good in the world I don’t think you even realize it. You…” Alex licked her lips, looking intently into the blonde’s soul. “You’re not me, it’s true. You’re much better.”

Kara’s lower lip was wobbling, and tears were threatening to spill from her eyes because of the strong emotions. She tried to shake her head, tried to show she didn’t agree with her sister, but Alex’s hold was tight and left no room for movement. “I’m not,” she strongly protested, eyes shimmering but determined; so sure she was right. “You’re way better than me. Alex, you’re so strong and determined and kind.”

Just as she was about to keep listing all of her sister’s strengths, Alex’s pursed lips stretched into a small smile, expression sad but accepting. “I think we’re gonna stay like that forever cause neither of us is gonna budge on this,” she said with a small chuckle, hands becoming once again soft and pliant around Kara’s face.

Kara breathed out a surprised laugh at this, a tear finally making its way down her cheek, and she put her hands over Alex’s to spread the warmth she felt inside of her. She sniffed and cleared her throat, all of a sudden shy about the close proximity and her emotions going overdrive. “Were you always this sappy ?” she croaked out, teasing to enlighten the mood once more.

The brunette pursed her lips to hide a grin, but ultimately failed as her eyes twinkled. “Dork,” she retorted, pulling the blonde’s temple to her lips before wiping the lonely tear with her thumb and pulling away. “Listen to me,” she commanded, serious again. She had to make sure Kara heard her; believed her. She sighed, weighing the words she was going to use in her mind, trying to find the right ones. “We’re not the same, that much is clear. We are who we are, but I have my strengths like you have yours, Kar’. It’s not a bad thing to be different.” Her right hand still on Kara’s left cheek slipped down to the blonde’s hand, Alex squeezing it reassuringly with a smile. “How boring would it be if I also ate all the potstickers ? Or if you cleaned your apartment ? Can you imagine ?” she joked, knowing her point was made and trying not to let the mood darken again; they had plenty of heavy moments as it was. “It’s okay,” she insisted, eyes staring deeply into endless blue ones. “It’s okay to be different, it’s a _good_ thing. And… I know you’re scared, because being different meant feeling even more alien, but that’s over now. You have your life as Kara, surrounded by friends and family who love you for _you._ ” She hesitated a bit before taking a breath and saying what she’d been dreaming of saying one day, saying what she hoped she’d be able to someday say. “You can let go now, you can be yourself.”

Kara started crying again during Alex’s speech, but she tried to keep it in so she wouldn’t miss a word. But now, she couldn’t stop the sob that gripped her throat and forced itself out, the sound strangled and weak. Alex’s eyebrows furrowed in concern and she pulled the blonde into her arms, hold strong and tight around the shaking body.  
She didn’t bother saying reassurances or anything, knowing her sister just needed to let it out after so much time spent trying to keep it in; and she wasn’t talking about the tears.

She rubbed her back soothingly, Kara’s shaky breaths on her neck, and kept her other hand against blonde and long hair. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, lost in their own world as they forgot the rest of their family was still outside. But nothing mattered beside comforting Kara, staying as long as she needed and being there for her. That’s all.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“You feeling better ?” Alex asked in a soft murmur, putting the cup of hot chocolate in front of a sniffling Kara.

The blonde smiled gratefully at her sister and put her hands around the cup, like it helped her warm up; yet another trick she picked up to appear more human. “Thanks,” she whispered, eyes lost in the steam floating around.

The sisters went back inside when Kara’s sobs more or less subsided, walking by a worried and a bored blonde, Alex waving away her mother’s concerns so they could get inside and talk just the two of them. She was now leaning against the kitchen counter, next to Kara who was nursing a hot chocolate in her hands.  
She was so still, like she used to be when overwhelmed by everything around her and scared she’d break something -or someone- when not in control.

Slowly, Alex reached out and softly put her hand on the blonde’s, careful of not startling her, eyes flowing with understanding and love. “It’s okay to want different things,” she confidently said, not wanting to leave an ounce of doubt in her sister’s mind. “Look at me, finding out I was gay at nearly 30. And it turned out alright.” She half-shrugged with an almost embarrassed grin and rosy cheeks. She still had trouble talking about herself, even with the person she said everything to, but she did her best to put down her walls for her. “It’s tough, at first. Because you’re afraid people are gonna see you differently, even if it’s not a bad thing, because we’re creatures of habit. We’re afraid of change, that’s it, because we don’t know what’s gonna happen.” She hesitated for a second before squeezing Kara’s hand, blue eyes finally looking up from the steam. “And I know you, know how change is scary for you after everything. But… We’re okay now. You can— you can let yourself be _you_ and be happy.” Another hand joined Kara’s. “And I’ll be there every step of the way, whatever you decide. I just— I want you to be happy, Kara.”

By the end of her monologue, Kara was holding back tears again, and her hands were no longer still. They were slightly shaking, the force of her emotions always making her show how touched she felt when with her sister.  
She wordlessly nodded, her throat too tight to talk, and sniffed loudly. Alex chuckled and took one of her hand off Kara’s to wipe away a fallen tear; it was seriously becoming a pattern.

“Stop crying, Mom is gonna say it’s my fault again,” she teased with a soft smile, eyes even softer.

Kara rubbed her other eye, trying to hide the tears that gathered there. “It is,” she defended, her voice coming out strangled and betraying her sensibility in that moment.

The brunette huffed, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the kitchen counter. “How dare you.” She was squinting, trying to look at least a bit intimidating, but the grin slowly making its way on her lips was quickly discrediting her.

Kara rolled her eyes at her sister antics and Alex playfully shoved her shoulder, not too hard as to not hurt herself. The mirth in her blue eyes slowly died down to let place to gratefulness and love. “Thank you,” she mumbled, shy all of the sudden, and went outside with a blush after Alex smiled to her in _that_ way.

The brunette snorted and followed her outside.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The days that followed were spent in an tense atmosphere. Arya was always watching her back, not trusting this new, potentially _safe,_ environment; too good to last. And the Danvers knew it was only a matter of time for the DEO to find them, knew J’onn and Lucy were the only ones standing between Lane and the knowledge that Alex’s mom lived there.  
They wanted to make the most of it: of their time with Eliza, of the chance to train Arya in a secure location with no neighbors and of spending nights in real beds; their own.

Sadly, they knew their time at home was coming to an end and Kara was more reluctant to train now, wanting to spend her days laying in the grass or watching bad movies with her family. Like when they were younger.  
Arya was making spectacular progress, her time with the Russian military showing through her intense focus and obedience. And so, the hero felt like she could take longer breaks more often, her eyes always finding Alex’s in silent request. And the brunette would just grin and nod, already making her way back inside to pick a movie.

They did their movie night every night since they arrived, but Arya always chose to stay locked in the spare room she slept in. But, the night after Kara’s breakdown, the new Kryptonian seemed to change her mind and joined them all in the living room.

Alex paused when she saw Arya between the living room and the kitchen, just standing there and watching them with careful eyes. “Hey, want to join us ?” she offered, soon followed by two other pairs of eyes looking in her direction.

The three Danvers were on the couch, _Star Wars_ now paused on the screen, and were waiting for Arya to make a choice; they didn’t want to spook her, as it was the first time she showed interest or even just curiosity in their nightly tradition.

Kara hid her smile behind her hair, and tugged Alex’s hand after consideration. “Yeah, come on. Sit on the couch with Eliza, we’ll sit on the floor.”

And before Arya could even hesitate, both sisters let themselves slide down until they hit the floor, back against the couch. Well, technically Alex had her back against her mother’s legs, but the woman wordlessly tucked them under her so her and her daughter would be comfier for the evening.

Eliza smiled at the blonde and patted the couch next to her. “There’s plenty of space. Plus, if you’re anything like Kara was, you’ll like this movie.”

Kara huffed and crossed her arms, Alex chuckling next to her. The ex agent could see the question in Arya’s eyes, the curious glint she so often saw in Kara’s. “Kara couldn’t sit through this movie without talking, asking why it was so inaccurate,” she explained with a smirk, the blonde’s cheeks reddening a bit at the memory. At her sister’s glare, Alex raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, to her defense, all she knew was Krypton’s technology and it was far better than ours. Like, lightyears ahead.” A glance. “Better ?”

And stubborn as she was, Kara just shrugged, her pout still firmly in place. Alex rolled her eyes but got comfortable again, leaning against Kara and feeling her shift so their body would be closer. “Come on, the movie’s starting.” Kara caught her doppelganger’s eyes and tilted her head, wordlessly inviting her with a welcoming smile.

The three Danvers focused back on the screen, wanting to give Arya a semblance of privacy as she debated if she should go sit with them or go back to her self-imposed isolation in her room. After a couple of seconds, watching as their bodies were relaxed and breathing steady, she pulled her shoulders back and marched toward them.  
After another second of hesitation once next to the couch, staring at the empty space waiting for her, Eliza smiled and nodded. Stiff, but willing, the blonde Kryptonian sat down. Her stance was rigid, spine straight as an arrow and hands on her knees, she watched the first images of her first movie with the same attention she had for documentaries the military made her watch. But this time, she knew she had a choice. This time, she knew she was in better company.

And they spent the evening like that, staring at the screen as the movie played and pizzas were ordered. But, during the episode, when a spaceship went into light speed mode, Kara let out a gasp and jumped to her feet. “I’ve got an idea !” she announced with a hopeful smile, immediately leaving the living room.

She walked up the stairs, going in the spare bedroom where Arya slept. It used to be Jeremiah’s study, so she knew the landline phone was here somewhere. After a quick scan with her s-ray vision, she spotted it in a corner under the closet. She lifted it and put it aside, too excited to care when the furniture made a loud noise or when she heard Alex mutter _What the hell is she doing…_ Instead, she speedily typed Winn’s number, _thank you near eidetic memory,_ and waited for the man to answer.

Which he did after a few rings, his voice careful. “Hello ?”

“Winn ! You need to listen to me, I have an idea.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Kara came back from upstairs, Alex put the movie on pause. She watched her slowly walking, but was staring at Arya with an odd expression on her face. “Kara ? Is… everything okay ?”

“Yeah.” But her crinkled told a different story. She kept staring at Arya who was all taut muscles and tense shoulders on the couch, watching Kara like she was waiting for the ball to drop. But then, Kara’s worry disappeared from her face and a soft smile took its place, her features now relaxed, Arya relaxing also but still wary. “Yeah,” she repeated, her smile growing. She walked up to her copy and put her hand on her shoulder, Arya tensing under the warm hand. “We’re going to be okay, we’re a good team.”

The confident statement surprised everyone, and Alex was starting to become suspicious, or at the very least _curious_ about Arya’s behavior, but decided to drop it; now wasn’t the time. So instead, she decided to trust Kara and just go with it; especially since she _did_ believe in Arya. “We are,” she agreed, smiling at the two Kryptonians.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The door closed quietly behind her, and she looked at J’onn expectantly. “So ?”

The man sighed, voice gruff even in a breath, and rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I don’t know if I got through to him,” he admitted, letting his hand fall back on the desk. “I tried to make him see reason, but I don’t think he’s really _for_ aliens.”

It was Lucy’s turn to sigh, hands on her hips as she stared at the floor for a moment. Eventually, she looked up with a resigned expression. “I could always talk to Lois, she can try to make our _dad_ see reason.”

But J’onn was already shaking his head before she even finished her sentence. “It will only make things worse. The only way is to persuade _him,_ he’s the only one who can stop your father and the whole military.” He rose to his feet, his heavy chair rasping loudly in the quiet room. “We have to find something because we are running out of time. _They_ are running out of time.”

“I know.” And her voice was softer now, seeing her colleague, her _friend,_ this anguished causing her chest to tighten at the sight. “We’ll find a way,” she promised, walking around his desk to put a comforting hand on his arm. “And if not, I will use everything I have to hide them and save them.” Her eyes were steel, hot burning steel, vowing to complete her promise. She let go of his arm and crossed hers, now concentrating on a different approach. “We need to appeal to the person he is,” she suddenly murmured, eyes vacant as she saw a vague plan of attack forming in her mind. And her pursed lips turned into a scary smirk, only making J’onn hope as an expression like that could only be good for them. Not much for their enemy, though.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“So… Winn told me you passed by Catco,” Kara lightly commented, a bit out of the blue as both Kryptonians were sitting on the grass, taking a break from their training.

Alex was inside, helping Eliza making some refreshing lemonade; or rather, keeping her company while her mother made it. They’ve been training for hours that day, sweat even dripping down their backs as the sun shone beautifully. It was around midday and, this time, it was at Arya’s request that they took a breather, surprising everyone.  
Kara could almost feel relaxed, as if she was on vacation with her family for the summer, but she still stayed alert. This wasn’t her first rodeo. So she enjoyed her time there, enjoyed every little moment spent with Eliza, because she knew it wasn’t going to last. But she’d fight to keep it, whoever came in charging. She’d protect her family.

Arya tensed, somehow taken by surprise and at the same time berating herself for lowering her guard. She glanced next to her, only to see Kara happily watching the sun with a relaxed expression. She had both hands behind her to keep her upright, legs stretched out, and was absorbing as much energy as she could from the sunrays.

Still, the doppelganger stayed careful. “Yes.” And gave no more explanation.

The blonde next to her hummed, eyes closed now. “It’s okay. Winn explained.” She paused, then opened her eyes to look at Arya. “It’s okay,” she repeated with an open expression. “I get it, I do. And…” She smiled. “I’m glad you came back. You could have made things really difficult for me, and for Alex. For Eliza. But you didn’t, and I’m happy you’re part of our family.”

Arya didn’t really know what was happening to her, but her throat felt tight and her eyes were stinging. Well, on some level she knew, but it never happened before. Really _feeling._ But she guessed that it came with the territory, or rather this _family._  
But before she had a chance to reply, they heard footsteps behind them and Alex swiftly sat down next to Kara, leaving a space between the two Kryptonians. She gave them both a large glass of freshly made lemonade and took a sip herself before putting her hand around Kara’s shoulders.

“Were _you_ always this sappy ?” Alex teased, using Kara’s previous words back on her. The blonde blushed a little as she looked down, hands now on her lap. “But I’m glad too, Arya. Not because you made it easier on us, but because you’re family.” Her eyes fell back on Kara during her last words, eyes soft and loving. And then glinting. “Although, you basically guarantee that we’re gonna win if it comes down to a fight.”

Arya’s heart was beating wildly in her chest, so many feelings and emotions coursing through her body, but the excitement about what was to come relaxed her somehow. Kara chuckled in her arms, leaning against her sister at her not-really-joke, and Alex flinched when something hit her on the head.

“Now, don’t make her feel like she’s being used,” Eliza tutted, a rolled magazine in her hand.

Alex scoffed at her mother, watching her quietly walking back to the porch to enjoy her own lemonade with some light reading. The brunette scoffed and shook her head, looking at Arya with a pained expression. “See what I have to deal with here ? Maybe you should have deserted us when you had the chance… But it’s too late now, Mom knows how to track all of us.” She glanced around, like she was making sure no one was listening in, and leaned closer the two blondes. “And as a secret agent working for the government, _I_ still don’t know how she does it,” she whispered, eyes wide with incredulity and a bit of fear.

Arya expected to see Kara laugh or at least smile, but the blonde only gulped loudly and nodded, eyes staring into the distance. “It’s true,” she whispered in turn. “Once, she joined us at a park we were at because she wanted to surprise us and we weren’t home. To this day, she never told us how she found us.”

“She’d make a damn good agent,” Alex agreed, a smile on her lips.

Kara chuckled and nodded, playfully bumping Alex’s shoulder with hers. “It really is in your blood, you never would have been patient enough to work in a lab everyday !”

The brunette shrugged, a small smile remaining even when her expression turned serious. “I never would have became an agent without you,” she stated, staring right at her sister with eyes full of something the blonde didn’t know how to name yet. But instead of making Kara smile and blush, like she thought, the hero’s face fell and she looked down at her hands. She was fidgeting now, playing with the hem of her shirt. “Kara ?” Alex whispered, keeping her hands to herself.

She knew this topic was touchy for both of them, and she also felt like there was something more. So she waited, as quiet as Arya on the other side of Kara. Eventually, she heard Kara take a deep breath and shakily let it out. Her breath hitched and her fingers started to tremble a bit.

Eventually, she spoke. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, voice small and unsteady. Surprisingly, when she looked up it was to stare into the same shade of blue eyes that she had, not brown ones. “I’m so, so sorry.” She reached out and took Arya’s hand in hers, eyes never leaving the blonde’s. “I don’t know how, but it’s all my fault. I don’t know why, but you’re here because of me. You went through—” She got choked up and cleared her throat to keep going. “I can’t imagine. I can’t, and I’m the reason why you had to live it. And I…” She licked her lips after gulping, gathering strength to keep talking from the hand tightly squeezing her free one. “I can easily guess what kind of emptiness you must be feeling, the hole in your chest so big that you can’t breathe or trust or love…” She had all of Arya’s attention, heartbeat and breathing quickening as the seconds and words passed, eyes never wavering in front of Kara’s gravity. “But you will,” she promised, causing Arya to hope again. “Like I did.” And Kara squeezed back, glancing to her left to see Alex smiling at her with her special grin, before refocusing on Arya. “It _will_ get better, I promise. And I also promise to be there for you, and help you in any way I can.”

The new Kryptonian was also getting choked up with emotions she was only just discovering. Throat tight, eyes stinging and heartbeat loud in her ears, Arya clenched her jaw to stop the defensive words she knew she’d say out of habit. Instead, she let herself bask in this tender energy, the family vibe the two women exuded with all of their beings.  
She nodded minutely, hoping to get her feelings across, and was rewarded by Kara smiling brightly at her. The woman’s eyes were filled with unshed tears, but Arya hoped the sad ones had been replaced with happy ones now that she was starting to accept the sisters’ love.

“You can count on me too,” Alex chimed in, eyes teary and determined.

“Yeah,” Kara emotionally breathed out, eyes finding Alex’s, before smirking. “She’ll always be there for you, as a mental support… But don’t count too much on her for arm wrestling,” she said, now looking at Arya with her eyes full of mirth, earning herself a scoff from Alex. “I mean, the problem is not really about strength…” And Alex was concerned now, frowning and wondering where Kara was going with this. “It’s more of an intelligence thing, I guess… It’s so lonely being _so_ smart and having no one to match just how much I’m—”

Of course, Alex _had_ to attack her to stop her foolish blabbering. So she carefully put her glass down as Kara rambled, and quite literally jumped on her. The blonde shrieked, causing Eliza to look up, smile then go back to her reading. Arya sighed and slowly got up and walked away, head down to hide her own wide smile.

Kara groaned as she felt Alex’s weight on her, the habit of making it look like she could feel it so ingrained in her she did it unconsciously. The ex agent was straddling her, putting all of her weight on her arms as she pinned Kara’s with her own against the ground.  
With the soft grass under them and the hot weather, it felt like they were kids again and helping Kara to figure out her powers.

“For someone so smart, you didn’t see _that_ coming,” Alex smugly smirked, eyes dancing with mischief and joy.

The blonde scoffed, squinting. “I’ll have you know, I’d have _owned_ you under normal circumstances.” She made a show of trying to free herself from Alex’s hold, an expression of deep concentration on her face.

Alex couldn’t hide her small chuckle, but she quickly got it under control and raised an eyebrow. “Normal circumstances, huh ? And what is it now, _special_ circumstances ?” she mocked, pushing Kara’s wrists deeper into the soil.

“Ye— Yes,” Kara spluttered, cheeks reddening under the burning heat — _and_ under Alex’s stare. “Because it was an emotional moment, I wasn’t ready !”

“An agent should always be ready,” Alex retorted, tone almost chiding.

 _Wrong thing to say,_ she thought when she noticed a dangerous glint in blue eyes. The next second, the roles were reversed and Kara was sitting triumphantly on an breathless Alex.  
She looked so proud then, having won against the one of the best agents who ever walked this earth. Well, no one was going to remind her that there wasn’t any Kryptonite emitters to put them at the same level.

“I’m not technically an agent, as you’d recall,” the blonde argued, almost smug. “Plus, I was fired so th—”

And suddenly she was on her back after letting out a pained grunt, hand grasping at her shoulder. She was trembling and her veins already greenish. She was holding her breath because of the pain, looking at the wound on her shoulder with wide, scared eyes. “Alex…” she gasped.

The brunette was at her side then, hands already moving to remove the dart sunk in her flesh. “I’m here,” she breathlessly said in a whisper, her eyes also wide as she tried to focus on the wound while darting a glance here and there to try and spot where the attack came from. “Arya, take my mom inside !” she shouted, throat tight but voice surprisingly even when she could feel herself shake inside.

The uninjured Kryptonian followed Alex’s command and carefully carried Eliza up in the attic, squeezing her shoulders in what she hoped to be a comforting gesture. But before she could leave, the blonde woman gripped her wrist and looked at her with wide eyes.

Understanding what the Danvers mother couldn’t say, Arya nodded with an expression of determination. “Don’t worry.” And just like that, she closed the trapdoor behind her to leave Eliza with at least a bit of security while they were going to be outside, fighting for their lives.

Kara had her eyes closed, breathing deeply through her nose and gritting her teeth so hard Alex could hear it. “What is it ?” she forced out through her clenched jaw, opening her eyes just enough to watch her sister’s eyes.

But more than worry, she saw fury on the brunette’s face and understood why when Alex answered. “It’s a Kryptonite dart.” Brown eyes were still looking at it as if it was going to jump and attack her, fearful but angry.

The blonde closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. “Get it out.” Opening her eyes, she saw a look of hesitation on Alex. “Alex, we’re under attack. Take it out !”

The force and authority behind Kara’s voice made her blink, then determinedly nod. She let out a shaky breath, all of her focus directed at the weapon, and clenched her jaw before yanking it out in a swift movement. She threw it as far as she could before putting sweaty hair from the blonde’s forehead.  
Kara’s breath hitched at the loss of pressure against her shoulder and hissed at the pain. She chanced a glance at her shoulder, pursing her lips at the green veins she could see pulsing under the short sleeve.

“Okay,” she grunted, looking up at the beautiful blue and sunny sky before sitting up. “We have to go.” She wondered how they hadn’t been shot again since she got hit but they were running out of time.

Alex was still looking worried but understood the urgency better than anyone, so she nodded. “Can you stand up ?”

She barely got her question out that she was already in strong arms, securely holding her against a hot but heaving torso. “Hold on tight,” Kara warned without a glance before darting as fast as possible inside the house, still mindful of Alex’s sensitive human skin and lack of defense against strong wind pressure.

In the next second, Alex was safely inside the house, next to the kitchen counter. She suspected Kara put her there because it was far from the front door, and she watched her sister lock the door with everything she could find. The locks were first, then the couch and furniture Eliza used to store her papers and other important items; it wasn’t the priority right now.

Alex heard footsteps walking down the stairs and looked up to see Arya, the woman more tense and alert than ever. The brunette came closer to her and put a reassuring hand on her arm. “We’re not gonna let them have you,” she promised, gaze hard. She had to wait several seconds for Arya to process and accept Alex’s vow to keep her safe with a nod. Alex nodded in turn and squared her shoulders. “Okay, we have to fight back.”

She turned her head to see Kara already at her side, arms crossed and chin high. “I’m ready.”

“How are you feeling ?” she asked, worried about the Kryptonite that was injected in Kara.

The blonde looked at her for a beat before repeating “I’m ready,” with a determined nod, rolling her shoulder with a slight wince but otherwise no discomfort in her other limbs.

Alex couldn’t fight the smile that played on her lips, small but grateful to be fighting side by side with her. “Try to keep them from coming in while I get the guns I stashed here,” she finally instructed, her limited time as acting Director at the DEO shining through.

Both Kryptonians nodded and she rushed up the stairs, quickly getting the ladder down so she could get up in the attic get the weapons she hid when they got there. She opened the trapdoor, the wooden door falling loudly against the floor, and gasped when she saw her mother.

“Mom ?” she frowned, not stopping her movement and was at her side in an instant.

Eliza was waiting sitting on a box she had laying around, elbows on her thighs and hands clasped anxiously together. “Alex !” she sighed in relief, quickly getting up and engulfing her daughter into a tight hug. “Are you okay ?” she murmured worriedly as she pulled away of their embrace to look at her, hands on the brunette’s shoulders.

“I’m okay,” Alex quickly reassured her, squeezing her forearms to soothe her fears. “I came here to get some things.” She sent her mother another smile before getting to work, lifting some boxes which were in a corner hiding a dirty sheet. “I didn’t know Arya hid you there,” she mumbled absentmindedly as she crouched next to it, raising the dusty cloth to reveal the duffel bag containing more guns that Eliza had ever seen in one place.

The blonde’s eyes widened at the sight and she tutted. “I can see why you’d have a problem with that… Really Alexandra, do you ever visit unarmed ?” Alex glanced behind her with a sheepish look but just busied herself with checking ammo and the weapons. “But I’m glad you did,” she said, her voice softer and uneven.

Alex paused her movement and turned her head to see her mother wiggling her fingers together in anxiety. She hurried finishing to check everything then put the heavy bag on her shoulder, stopping next to her mother. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised with determined eyes before pulling her into a quick hug and leaving without another glance. Once the trap door firmly shut and locked, she hid the ladder leading to the attic and walked down the stairs.

“Let me—”

“No, _I_ should be the one—” Kara’s voice was definitely frustrated and Alex wondered what was happening as she walked the last steps.

“You’re obviously hurt, you should be hiding—”

 _“Hiding ?”_ Kara gasped and Alex could see as she rounded the corner that she had a hand over her heart, as if the suggestion was so indignant she couldn’t react another way.

The two Kryptonians were facing each other, Arya with her arms crossed over her chest and Kara with one hand on her chest and the other raised like it was trying to stop the words coming from Arya’s mouth.

“What’s happening ?” Alex asked, settling the bag on the floor and rustling inside to take a big gun out. Straightening and cocking the firearm with a loud _clang_ , ready to fight, she faced the two blondes with a raised eyebrow.

Kara huffed, looking a bit like a petulant child as she kicked invisible dirt with her foot, and Arya rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying that Kara should stay back before they come through the door,” the woman explained with her thick accent and gesturing with her hand. “She should stay as backup.”

Alex was inclined to agree because she was worried about her sister, but knew it wasn’t the right choice. Not if they wanted to make it out free and unscathed. “No,” she declared, surprising both Kryptonians. “We need her, even if I’d rather her stay hidden somewhere far.”

Kara sent her a look, between a grateful and apologetic one, and reached to take her hand. “I’ll be careful,” she promised, guessing Alex’s next words. “But I’m not sitting this out just because I’ve been poked at by someone who confused my body with a dart board,” she said as she looked pointedly at Arya who huffed.

The brunette lightly hit Kara’s arm with a chastising glare before looking at Arya. “Get into position, I just need a sec.”

And without another glance for Arya, Alex took Kara’s hand and pulled her into the kitchen; she wanted privacy but also wanted to stay close to the action she could feel coming soon, keeping the front door in her line of vision.  
She knew they didn’t have much time, could sense the agents coming closer somehow without even hearing them, but knew the Kryptonians could very much so. She trusted Arya to tell them when they ran out of time, keeping Kara focused on her and what she wanted to say; who knew what would happen after everything.

Both of Kara’s hands in each of hers, Alex stared at bottomless blue eyes with a gravity that had the blonde shifting anxiously in front of her. The brunette sighed, her face softening at the sight of Kara’s crinkle. “I just want you to be careful,” she eventually murmured, her expression nothing short of open and earnest. “I know you said you would,” she quickly added when she saw Kara open her mouth, “but I’m just…” Her eyes darted away, unsure now.

“Scared.” It wasn’t even a guess, her voice was firm and said it like a statement, Kara just _knew._ She always knew. “I am too,” she admitted, eyebrows pinching together as she lowered her head a bit to catch brown eyes with her own. “But we can do this, together.” She squeezed her hands then, a sign of reassurance. “And we’re not alone in this,” she said with a small smile, head tilting toward Arya.

Alex glanced at her then, Arya with her back to the sisters, and had a small smile of her own in no time. “I know.” She took a breath before looking up into Kara’s eyes again. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you,” she breathed out, afraid her voice would break if spoken any louder, as she reached to push blonde hair behind Kara’s ear.

Before Alex had the time to even think about pulling back, Kara was already closing her eyes and pushing her cheek against the brunette’s palm. On instinct, Alex put more pressure against the soft cheek and lightly rubbed her thumb across her cheekbone.  
Kara’s now free hand slowly lifted and covered Alex’s, keeping it against her face, as if afraid Alex would suddenly break all contact.

Without even seeming to think about it, Kara pulled Alex’s hand from the end of her cheek and toward the center of her face. Soon, the rough palm was against warm lips and the thumb on Kara’s chin, standing perfectly still.  
Alex didn’t even register she stopped breathing, just watched as Kara still had her eyes closed, head a bit lowered as she pushed the brunette’s hand against her lips. Like she was trying to remember the scent, the way Alex’s skin felt against hers, the way it slowly warmed up when pressed against Kryptonian skin.

She must have made a strangled sound just as she thought Kara was going to kiss the inside of her hand because the blonde’s head snapped up and her eyes flew open. Alex could see when Kara realized when she’d been doing, eyes widening ever so slightly as she slowly released the perfectly still hand she still had clasped in hers.  
Kara’s cheeks were pink, as expected, but they became redder by the second and only a moment after, Kara was full on blushing from the neck up. She stammered, patting blindly behind her with her hand and actually broke a chunk of Eliza’s kitchen counter in her haste to flee confrontation.

But, Alex being Alex, she didn’t allow her to just run away, and she held onto Kara’s hand that was still in hers with both of her own. “Wait,” she whispered quickly, rewarded by Kara halting her movement although she still had her eyes firmly down. “Kara—”

And of course, _of course,_ that was when Arya’s voice interrupted whatever clever thing Alex was going to say. “They’re coming.” Her voice was calm yet urgent, muscles taut and stance ready.

Finally, Kara’s eyes met Alex’s and her face was noticeably less flushed, back in work mode. “I love you,” she rushed out, hand squeezing Alex’s, and this time the brunette let her go as they both joined Arya in the entrance.

Gulping down her confused feelings, Alex licked her lips and took her gun from her shoulder with both hands. “Time to dance,” she gloomily announced, the sound of her charging her big ass gun resonating into the silence. “What’s happening outside ?”

Both Kryptonians squinted, using x-ray vision to see through the house’s walls, and Kara gasped loudly. “J’onn !” she shouted in anguish and, just like that, the superhero created a Kara shaped hole in the front door as she rushed outside faster than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The scene I was talking about is where they get in the bus to go to Midvale, and the song is Sun King. And okay, that might be because it reminds me a lot of the first music of the episode Midvale when they're driving there.


End file.
